Life Is Strange Eternity War Episode 2 Herd of Whales
by WickDaLine
Summary: Max and Alex begin their adventure turning the tide against the Eternity War started by the Herd of Whales, CDF, and Ares. At the cost of a promise Max tried to keep for Chloe she had broken. Meanwhile, David and Cayce prepare themselves for war in the fight against ConDef with the rest of their team and the entire Chrysalis frontline. No sacrifice or struggle will be too great.
1. Eye of the Beholder

Previously on Life is Strange: Eternity War...

"No matter what we try," she began. "You seem insistent on going down the same sad road as your cousin. What a waste."

* * *

"Ooh, you gotta learn to watch your back!" She shouts.

We have a laugh. Then she puts me down.

"Alright, you got me," I said.

* * *

"The only time you pull a stunt like this," I begin. "Is when you're trying to make up for something."

"You are too smart for your own good, you know that?"

"You're bailing on me."

"I know it sucks to leave Chloe behind like that."

"You have no idea."

"I found Uncle Bryan's stuff. Everything my dad sold. I tracked down the buyer. Whaddaya say we go and get it back? You ready for this?"

"Hell yeah."

* * *

"I spoke with Bryan Caulfield today about your secret. I want in."

"C'mon, Ms. Prescott," I said. "The deal was just to tell us what to find to get to it and that's it."

"Just? I'm sticking my neck out for you two."

"Yeah, Uncle Bryan promised you a lot of money for your trouble," I said.

"Yes, he did. But not nearly enough."

Principal Prescott pulled out the old letter she given by my uncle to read on her desk.

"You were told not to open that," I said.

"Yes," the Principal said. "I'm also told not to take bribes. A criminal offense to the faculty. But here we are."

* * *

"Alex - no," I panic. "No, hold on!"

My dying cousin gasps for air as she spits a droplet of blood from her mouth and slip back down from the ledge. I hang onto to her by her hand as tight as I could.

"Alex! Gimme your other arm!" I cry. "C'mon, reach!"

And then it happened. The grip on her arm grew lighter and lighter as she's released from my grasp, collapses down to the bottom, and then her lifeless body flushed away from me by the water current. Alex was dead. The guards had killed her.

"No! Alex!" I whale.

"We gotta move!" Fernando scolded, seizing my arm.

"No, no, she's still down there!" I sob.

"No, she gone. C'mon, the boat's just beyond the gate. Kristen's waiting."

"No! No, I can't! I can't - I can't leave her behind!"

"Max, you're cousin is dead! Either come with me or join her."

"No, she just-"

"Have it your way!"

I take one last good glace at the flooding water that flushed out my late cousin. This could not be for real. This was a nightmare. It had to be. Won't count on it. I had to keep running. For guards were still shooting at us.

"Alex...", I moan.

* * *

"The more things change, the more they stay the same," said Admiral Penske in his office. And here I am, thinking we'd won. But you bring down one enemy and they find someone even worse to replace him."

* * *

"What's left of the Prescott family I presume?" I say to her.

"With my mom as the new head of the Chrysalis corporation," she begins. "My dad executed on death row at Quantum Prospekt, my brother killed by a photographic nutcase, and my family's foundation shut down by US government jurisdiction over suspicions of our former ties with Neo-Chrysalis, the heard is thinning every day."

"And the harsher part is," said Cayce. "No one seems to be sorry the Prescott Foundation has ceased operations for the past three years. Allow me to be the first one to feel sorry. Or the second."

"You're the first Prescott I've ever seamlessly admired until now, Kris," I said. "Say no more."

"I appreciate that, David," said Kris.

* * *

"Jarvis asked you about that Vancouver job again," she said.

"Jarvis always asks me about the Vancouver job," I said.

"Look, Max. I really think you should take it."

"You know what, I don't want it. Really. I mean, he doesn't have the permits. And we agreed we're not gonna take that kind of work anymore. It's just not worth it."

"Okay, but...it...it doesn't sound that risky. Alright, if it's just the permits-"

"No way."

"You can call your parents."

I sigh.

"You haven't seen them in what, two years?"

"Chloe, look, can we please drop this."

"Okay, I just don't want you to not take it because of me."

"I'm not taking it because of me, okay?"

* * *

I hump over Chloe and tickle her bit as she laughs away. Like she did to me in my bedroom four years ago at my house in Seattle. Then she caresses her hand on my cheek when she calms.

"Hey, are you happy?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, of course." I reply. "You?"

Chloe scoffed.

"Um..." she says.

"Um?" I frown. "Really?"

Chloe chuckles.

"C'mere," she said.

I kiss the girl of my life on the couch as I lean down over her.

* * *

"It's good to see you again, Max," said Alex.

"Oh my god, Alex!" I cry.

"Whoa! Alright, alright," she says calming me as I give her nice big hug. "Take it easy. Take it easy."

"How?" I ask crying a little. "I thought you - I saw you get shot!"

"Yes, you did," she admits, removing the corner of the shirt to show her bullet scars. "Right...there..."

"Where...where have you been all these years?" I start asking. "If you've been alive this whole time, why didn't you come find me sooner? How'd you even get here? Find me?"

"Alright, alright, slow down," she says. "Okay? Have a seat."

"A girl who can rewind time. A girl who saved another girl from a dorm building roof at Blackwell. Saw the video. A girl who won the Arcadia Bay Versus Max Caulfield case. Saw the news. A girl who saved Portland from the end of the world on a Chrysalis tower. That actually happened?"

"Yeah, that ah...that actually happened."

"C'mon, man, what did I miss?"

"Jesus, Alex, where do I start?"

"Start with the best part."

* * *

"I mean what can I say?" I say finishing my story for the past hour. "Another maniacal egomaniac stopped once and for all, and uh...we made it out alive...barely."

"Unbelievable," said Alex.

"Yeah, yeah it was. I wish you could've been there."

"Max...I'm in a lot of trouble here," begins Alex.

"What?" I ask, getting off the porch to speak by the railing next to her. "What are you talking about? What kind of trouble?"

"Do you remember Joanna Prescott? Our high school principle back in Seattle? Joanna is leading some secret shadow cult. A secret organizational society of some kind. One that enlist families of some sacred influence. Including the Prescotts. They call themselves the Herd of Whales."

"Oh no," I said. "No man. Listen, I can't. I'm out."

"What?" Alex frowned.

"No, I just don't do that kind of thing anymore. Besides, there are plenty of other guys that are much more equipped to handle this kind of thing."

"Like who?"

"Anybody - Rachel Amber," I said.

"No," said Alex.

"Or David Madsen. No really, they're my go-to guy's for this sort of thing."

"No, no, no, absolutely not. I don't trust Rachel or David or anybody else you got on that phone with my life, okay? I need you on this one."

"Oh man. Alex, there's gotta be another way. I have a life now with Chloe. And I promised her I would never try anything like this again in a lifetime. Especially with my powers that I've also vowed to her not to use for this thing either."

"Bryan will be waiting and so will Fernando and Kristen who've I managed to get in touch with over the years as well. I swear, not once will you have to time travel even if you have to use a bit of your powers. I got you plane ticket to Vancouver. The next flight is in eight hours. Don't waste it."

* * *

"What is Ares?" I ask as the footage ends. "And who's the herd?"

"Unclear," said Penske. "Helmet cam stopped transmitting. It's been eighteen hours. No contact. ConDef's made no demands."

I speak with Admiral Penske in his office in the Chrysalis Seattle headquarters. I had been sent here by his orders as soon as Chrysalis command had received Captain Lyall's last transmission. Penske turned off the screen and turned his eyes to me.

"Continuum Defense Front doesn't make demands," I said. "They planted flag on our grass. They executed three men and their pilot was shot down."

"Commander Madsen, I implore you to use diplomacy in this office. Your not in Blackwell security or the ABPD anymore. Neither are you in the US marines. Take a different tact."

"Yes, sir. Who else knows about this?"

The admiral walk up to his desk to open the blinds for bright sight and a glamorous view of Seattle and the forth of July parade. Our conversation continues.

"Right now," continued Penske. "Joint Strategic Air Command and you."

"We stand by with our barrels in the sand and watch our fleet leak parade?"

"Commander Madsen, make no mistake. My instincts which are aligned indelibly with your own are that we need to engage."

* * *

"You told me there wouldn't be any cameras," I tell him.

"And you told me you were gonna wear something nice," said Cage. "Folks need heroes, Madsen. To give them hope. So smile, would ya? While we still got something to smile about."

* * *

 _"All stations! Shots fired at Elliot Bay! Say again, shots fired!"_

 _"This is not a drill! Divert and deploy all available assets immediately!"_

"Brace for impact!" I warn everybody.

"Hold on!" Kris shouts.

And that's when we crash through the glass touching down into the shopping building. Praying for our lives that have hung onto dear life in a near fatal event of a crashing bird that lost it's wings. And then my world goes black.

* * *

"We're this fight together, Penske."

"It's a fight we cannot win. Not without help. We need to alert the pentagon. Inform the president and defense committee of this incident. We can convince them to help us. The only way we can provide ourselves the strength in numbers against Continuum."

"What if they don't listen?"

"We'll make them listen. Now go. I'll be meeting you at the Oregon. That's an order."

"We will, Admiral. Godspeed."

"You too, Madsen."

* * *

Chapter 1 Eye of the Beholder

Max \- Age 21 (POV)

Alex \- Age 25

Grey sky. Black trees. Shrouded ground. A decaying orchard where branches are vacant of leaves, the grass is relieved of green, and the air is moist with speaks of ash. I'm in the middle of an accursed forest that looked as if a wildfire destroyed it. Where am I?

I look around myself to see me surrounded by the foreboding environment of taboo and destruction. The trees in these woods were certainly waylaid of devastation and the atmosphere was indeed amiss of ash. What was I doing here in the middle of a scorched earth and dilapidated woodland? It felt so cold in the misty woods.

I turn my eyes forward to see it again. To see the mystic creature I've been seeing since the bay. Standing front and center with her head weaving at the grass and then raising her head to look me in the eye. My spirit doe has returned for me.

She spots me eye to eye from ten feet away. I give her a conspicuous look face to face from afar. Then she prances away. Galloping out in the open woods. I follow her.

I run to where my doe runs. Following her through the woods as she gallops. She comes to a stop by a porch between two scorched bark trees. That's where I stop to come closer.

When I get closer, she turns her head to me like a friendly face would. I give her a small smile in all optimism. I've never come this close to my spirit animal like this before and it felt beautiful standing next to her. Until a red light luminously beams down on us.

As the red light glares down on me and my spirit, an illusive roar was heard from above. That is when the doe fled from me and where I turn my head upwards to investigate where the light and the roar came from. The roar sounded like something out of the Tyrannosaurus Rex from Jurassic Park. The light came out of nowhere and had no source. Not even from the foggy skies I turned my head up to. Then the light faded and dispersed.

I open my journal to see strange pages drawn with graphic imagery. They make me barf just looking at drawing of everyone I know with their heads on sticks. Alex, Rachel, Frank, my parents, Joyce and David, my friends from Seattle, my friends from Arcadia Bay, Cayce and Kristine from David's unit, the Ambers, and of course, Chloe. Not to mention, my own head held up high by a malevolent figure with malicious armor, a horned helmet, and evil red eyes. Posing on top of a small hill above the head sticks like a Greek warrior. I stared at this drawing no longer.

Then I look at my phone to read text messages that only make me sicker.

 **Chloe: So that's why you ditched me for five years!**

 **Chloe: You chose Alex over me for some stupid adventure to go on. I thought we were going to do that together!**

 **Chloe: And now you've left me again. I wish we never saw each other back in Arcadia Bay again!**

 **Chloe: You should've let me die! I hope you do!**

 **Alex: Hey Max! Ready to go on an adventure!**

 **Alex: Let's leave and never see Chloe again!**

 **Alex: And die.**

 **Ares: In time, you will know what it's like to loose.**

 **Ares: To feel so desperately that you're right.**

 **Ares: Yet to fail all the same.**

 **Ares: War is coming, Max. Your death will be the end of it.**

I put my phone away after the last text I read. I see the doe running again and that's when I start following it again. But where the doe takes me is nothing compared to what I see next. What I see next is a bloodbath in the misty woods.

First, I see my parents laid down on their backs against a tree with bruised clothes and grazed skin. Their face cut and blood dripping from their nostrils and lips. Both who have dropped dead. My parents are dead. Why are they dead? How are they dead? Why and how am I seeing them like this?

Next, I see Rachel and Frank posed dead on the ground like better angels. Frank posed dead the way he was when Chloe had shot him before rewinding and Rachel posed dead the way she was posed in one of her dark room shots and when she overdosed. Only with more brutal repercussions on their bodies than when they both died the first time. A blue jay was seen poking Rachel's corpse. Rachel's spirit creature to be exact.

Then, I see David and Joyce as well as two of David's squad members Cayce and Kristine lying dead in the dark grass. David was in military uniform with his face grazed and bloodied. Holding hands with his dead wife who held hands with her dead husband. Joyce's face was bloody and grazed too.

Cayce and Kristine were also in uniform and were both out of it as well. Kristine's eyes were still peeled open as she played dead with Cayce. There was even an eagle sitting down on David's corpse. A freakin eagle sitting on his body. Whatever that was about, maybe that's David's spirit creature or something?

And then, I see Rachel's parents James and Rose dead on the ground. I've never really seen the Ambers all that often as much as Chloe had when they were still living in Arcadia. Only when Chloe and I vacationed to Cali to see Rachel and Frank did I ever see the Amber couple. It was only just as terrifyingly shady to see them as corpses with torn clothes and grazed skin.

Even more people I knew laid down in front of me dead. Warren, Kate, and Victoria had dropped dead into a pile of corpses as well. They were just as beaten up and worn out like the rest playing dead. What was going on here? Why do I see more dead people than Haley Joel Osment in the Sixth Sense?

Then, I see Fernando and Kristen from Seattle. Wowser, I hadn't seen then in four years since I left the city for Arcadia and out of nowhere I have see them dead flat on the ground too? How many more people I know do I have to see dead in this shady vision of mine? No bueno as Fernando would say.

And then, I see my Uncle Bryan and cousin Alex laid to rest besides each other. This wasn't right. There must be an answer to all this. There's always an answer to every bad dream I've had since Arcadia Bay. The one place I thought I'd left all my post-trauma behind. And yet it's far from behind.

And finally, I see no one more than my roommate, soul mate, girlfriend, partner in crime, partner in time, and love of my life Chloe Elizabeth Price limped dead on the ground. Posing her death the way she did on the bathroom floor. And her spirit creature, the luminous blue butterfly folding it's wings and sitting on Chloe's body.

This time, I pause and kneel down to my girlfriend's body. Examining her lifeless face as I soften my fingers on her cheek and her dark blonde hair with a strip of blue. Then suddenly, her hand strangles my wrist as she jerks her eyes open and I gasp in a heartbeat. Chloe speaks to me with her mouth and voice weary.

"You...could have...saved us..."

That is all Chloe could say before releasing her grasp from my arm and her head falls limp again. Dropping dead again as her eyes are stone cold open and her nose leaks a droplet of blood. What occurs next is what occurs lastly before exiting this nightmarish trauma.

I hear the caw of a bird close to me. Seeing a crow or a raven whoosh past me as it flies to an armored figure up front. The raven lands on the figure's shoulder as the figure himself turns around to look me in the eye. And what I see is beyond shady. What I see is shady as shady can be.

The dappled figure is dressed in some medieval armor of Greek origin. His body armored with a chest plate, shoulders plated with spiked shoulder guards, and elbows padded with razor elbow pads. The figure's face was also masked with a helmet with long horns and his eyes were also glowing scarlet red. The figure glanced down menacingly at me as the dark bird sat and stood on his shoulder. My face is pale with fear.

After facing the armored figure, he steps aside from me to reveal an even more tantalizing. I see my spirit doe nudge her head against my body. My beaten, grazed, and worn out body with a sword punctured to the heart like a fork on a steak. My dead body with my bruised, scarred, and bloody face with cold open eyes. I drop my jaw, lift my brows, and cup my lips with my hand. Shaking in terror.

Next thing I see is fire igniting on the skin of my impaled self before me. Flames incinerated my dead self like wood on fire. Turning it into a charred crisp. Which is nothing compared to the very last thing I witness.

I hear a unanimous whale from the misty sky. A monstrous whale from above. And from above is a moon shaped creature bigger than Godzilla and scarier than Kong. It wasn't just moon shaped, it was an actual moon. Half a moon with the other featured with a large organic mouth and gargantuan tentacles. Open it enormous mouth with it's vast teeth and behemoth roar.

My eyes and face are broken in fear. Struggling to bear sight of this bizarre nightmare even worse than every last nightmare I've ever confronted. I could take this no longer staring off into the eye of the beholder.

And then back to reality.

* * *

July 5th, 2017

5:37 AM

Flight 425

Canadian Airspace.

Wowser...that...was so surreal.

A dark forest, spirit animals, the death of the people I loved, an armored bedeviling figure, and a moon monsters. Not to mention the death of myself. Whatever I had just, it was surreal as surreal can be. At least I'm back to the real world again as always whenever I'm in the twilight zone. Exactly why did I see everyone I knew dead like vermin with shredded clothes and scathed skin? Why?

I'm wide awake on the seat of the plane we took hours ago to fly to Vancouver. Where Uncle Bryan and my friends from Seattle would be waiting for Alex and I. As well as Rachel and Frank who asked to meat us there at the airport since they were already in Vancouver. Our flight had been delayed due to the Seattle attack interfering with airspace and couldn't leave until 11PM.

Speaking of the attack on Seattle, Chloe immediately text me about it asking if I was watching it. I immediately replied if my parent or her parents made it out alive. She said both my parents and hers made it out okay and are taking refuge at a sanctuary on a Chrysalis freighter. The Oregon to be precise. Then I text my parents to make sure they were okay myself and my mom replied though they were alive and well, my dad busted his knee during a crash landing. Rest assured, I'm not an orphan. Relief confirmed.

I turn my head to my right to see Alex sitting next to me passed out on her seat. As well as all the other passengers in their seats. Most of them taking a nap. I turn my head to my left to see the planes left wing and engine hover fifty thousand feet above outside my window. It was still dark out, but there was only half an hour till morning. But there were more important thing to think about the sleeping passengers including Alex and the dark sky we were flying in.

What have you done, Max Caulfield? You and your precious roommate make exodus from Arcadia Bay. And for what? To abandon the hostilities and calamities from your accursed home town? Or for your family secret to walk on your doorstep five years after she was shot in front of you? Either way, you've just broken the one promise you were sworn never to break. Which you did.

Here's one thing about irony. I abandoned my soul mate after her dad passed. Only to replace her with my distant but closest relative of mine from my home away from home. Four years later, she's shot to death in a filthy sewer. Eleven months later, you witness your best friend from five years past get shot in a filthy john. Just to save her from being killed and reunite with her after five years apart. Another four years later, your cousin returns from the dead out of nowhere like Rachel before her. After another five years from be separated from your other soul mate. It's a shame I never had my rewind power to save Alex before Chloe. Otherwise, Alex and I would not have met again like we did back at the gallery.

History repeats itself when it comes to reuniting with the ones we let go. Rachel becomes friends with Chloe to step inside my shoes for her hence the way Alex stepped inside Chloe's shoes for me. Only for both of them to just die out nowhere and to eventually come back from the dead for us. Evidently, no one stays dead in our lives when we don't want them to. And so the irony breeds. Albeit fate is stronger than irony.

I still loathed myself for not only breaking my promise that I was done with this unnatural life to Chloe, but for lying to her about the Vancouver and hiding my family secret to her even before we left the bay. Though Alex had crossed paths with Chloe before, that was years ago during our camping trip when we were kids. Two years before William's passing and my migration from Arcadia Bay. I doubt she still remembered.

I was more worried about how she would react to all this if she found this out. I of all people knew that despite Chloe's changes made in her life, she still wasn't the person to let grievances slide as easy as cherry pie. I knew her well enough that I needed to make saving her on that cliff from four years back pay forward. And to never resurge the things that triggered her inner turmoil she suffered since I was gone. Which I may just have.

 _"Attention passengers, this is your Captain speaking. We're still flying above Washington, but we're about fly over the border and enter Canadian airspace. We'll be in Vancouver in less than three hours."_

After the captain spoke on the intercom, Alex started waking up from her nap after six hours on this flight. That's when I talk to her on the plane.

"Sleep well?" I ask.

"Yeah...", she yawned. "Pretty much. How 'bout you? Are Ryan and V okay?"

"They made it out of Seattle alive. Thanks to David and his Chrysalis unit. And Joyce made it out of there too. I just woke up from a bad dream. I've slept better."

I sigh. Alex stares at me in concern.

"Hey, Max," she says. "I'm sorry you had to see that attack on the news like that. I really am."

"It's not just that, Alex," I say. "I should've told her the truth. I feel like utter shit I didn't. She deserved to know."

"Max, I'm kinda glad you didn't. You told her you're on your way to Vancouver for that Vancouver job thing. We're on a plane to Vancouver right now. She'll never suspect your lying. It's not like she needs to know. It's for the best she doesn't know. For now."

"For now? Don't tell me what's for the best for her. You do not know her like I do."

"It doesn't matter. In fact, the less she knows about this, the less danger she'll be in. There are a lot of things about the herd they don't want exposed to anyone and danger is the consequence for that."

"Chloe may not matter to you, Alex, but she does matter to me. But if it means keeping her out of danger, that's fine by me."

"You know, you never told me why and how you made it back to Arcadia Bay when you were excepted. Why leave Seattle back to Arcadia just then? How did you make it back there?"

"During second semester of Junior year in Cleveland, my parents were looking into some boarding schools in Oregon for me to register and when they found out Blackwell had a program for photography, that's what made me want to go back there. Over the summer, I was accepted. Then I packed my things, said goodbye, took a bus back to Arcadia Bay, and finished my senior year there. I think you would've liked it there. A lot better than Cleveland. You never told me what you've been up to when you were away. What happened?"

"Let's just say happened between dad and I is complicated. Maybe we can explain when you see your uncle again. How's that sound?"

"What are we going to do once we land? You and Uncle Bryan have plan to handle this heard thing of yours?"

"We've always had a plan to settle the score between us and the herd. You'll know the plan once we get there. Fernando and Kristen are meeting us at the airport. Bryan will be meeting us at the house. Isn't that Rachel girl and her boyfriend Frank meeting us there too?"

"I text Rachel a while ago and she said they'll meet us there. They just got off tour from the show they performed in. They'll be waiting."

"Hey, Max."

"What?"

"I know you don't agree to what we're doing, but it's nice I get to see my little cousin again. It really is."

"You too, Alex. You too."

"After five years, you're still Max Caulfield."

That's what Chloe said to me once. The day I first rode in her truck that Monday. It's what Alex is saying to me now that we've seen each in parallel to the reunion I had four years ago on that fateful October.

I lean against my window staring off into space. Gazing at the dark early morning sky. Dwelling on my shitty-ness I brought on myself for breaking my promise to Chloe for Alex. And now I was dragging Rachel and Frank into this mess which I know the two would never accept. Considering Rachel promising the same. At least David helped Joyce and my parents get to safety in one piece. That's at least something to be proud of.

Even after three years of a normal life, I'm still asking myself the same question. How do you know which way is up when your whole life has been turned upside down?

 **Note: Here we go again my fellow readers! My next installment to Eternity War. I'll have you note that I'm posting this in solid of the release for Before the Storm Episode 3: Hell Is Empty.**

 **For those confused about Max's vision in this beginning chapter, let's just say it's a little foreshadowing of where Max's story goes from here and what's about to come next for her final chapter in the trilogy I've set for her. And if you think it's foreshadowing the death of everyone at the end, I can only confirm that only fate will decide that hypothesis and not spoilers. And yes, I have figured out a way for James and Rose from Before the storm to appear in this story if you've caught them in Max's dream. And yeah, the raven from BTS was in this chapter too.**

 **All I can say now is that enjoy the finale to Before the Storm everyone! Which will release tomorrow for everyone and has released today for some players. I may just download it and play it tonight or tomorrow. CAN'T WAIT!**

 **Until next time, stay golden!**


	2. Hope Runs Deep

**Readers discretion is advised. This chapter contains fictional politics of real life politicians and political leaders. A scenario that involves war declaration on terrorist. Understand this chapter is not to intend and political threats or offenses to the fictional conflict discussed in this chapter. Only to make the conflict and stakes of this story thought-provoking and engaging. Thank you.**

Chapter 2 Hope Runs Deep

David \- Age 49 (POV)

Cayce \- Age 31

Kristine \- Age 27

July 5th, 2017

5:41 AM

Washington D.C., Maryland

Pentagon

 **WickDaLine presents...**

We were cleared for duty and summoned to the Pentagon. Joyce, Vanessa, and Ryan stayed at the sanctuary on the Oregon where war refugees were evacuated and taken in for refuge. A majority of them from Seattle. Cayce, Kristine, and I got on a Seahawk with Captain Cage and Admiral Penkse to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. for the national security briefing with Defense Secretary Mattis, President Trump, and Vice President Pence. To negotiate a war declaration on the Continuum Defense Front. Penske had met us back on the Oregon as promised after he stayed behind on the ground back in Seattle.

The two of my team and I dressed for the briefing as well as the Captain and Admiral. Cayce, Cage, and I dressed in jackets and ties, Kristine dressed in a jacket and skirt, and Penske dressed in his usual navy coat and cap. We were all coming down for a landing on the helipad near the Pentagon we were seeing on the way down through the windows. A limousine was on the ground waiting for our descent. Once we had landed at a complete stop, Cage and Penske were to be our handlers on the way out.

"This is it," said Cage.

Cage open the hatch for us all to exit our helicopter. Penske is the first one out when secret service agents and Pentagon MPs escort us to the limo.

"Your convoy is ready, sir," said the MP as the rest of us make exit. "Welcome to the Pentagon."

"We're late," said Penske.

 **A Life is Strange fan fiction...**

The limo was parked in the center of the convoy. Surrounded by two military police bikes and two black SUVs. We were running late indeed as Penske mentioned. Our briefing had originally scheduled at o-five thirty and our window was now delayed to o-six hundred. ETA nineteen minutes.

A secret service guard steps out of the limo to open the rear passenger door for us. Once we all hop inside, Secretary of Defense John Mattis and Vice President Mike Pence were inside on their limo seat waiting for us as we took our limo seats after them.

"Secretary Mattis," I presumed, shaking his hand.

"Your reputation precedes you, sir," said Mattis, shaking my hand.

"Step on it," told the Vice President to the driver.

 **Life is Strange Eternity War**

 **Episode 2: Herd of Whales**

And then were off on our way to the pentagon as the MP bikes lit their sirens our limo began driving with the rest of the convoy. Entry into the pentagon was less than twenty minutes away. Our briefing be delayed no further.

"Nothing less than our national security is at stake," said Mattis lending me a dossier folder. "He has no fear, no conscience, and no weakness. This is Elias Alkaline. I believe you've all have already crossed paths?"

I open the folder to unfold the face of the monster in the back of our heads himself. With a profile picture and other classified intel on the terrorist General named Alkaline. Exactly the man I witnessed in the helmet cam footage of the British Chrysalis unit back at Seattle HQ.

"We've never seen him eye to eye," corrected Penske. "But we have witnessed what he'd done on the helmet cam footage."

"When do we kill him?" I asked.

"We're lucky to have you here, Madsen," said Mattis.

Our convoy kept driving down the road to the Pentagon as the MP bike and secret service vehicles between us were in escort. The briefing was about to begin in fifteen minutes. No excuse we wouldn't make it in time.

Once we arrived and had clearance for entry into the Pentagon, we all made way for the visitor center with Mattis and Pence up to the visitor's clerk's desk. Mattis walked up to the clerk at this desk to identify us and authorize our visit to the briefing.

"VIP," he tells the clerk.

"They're here," says the clerk picking up his phone.

I've never truly been inside the Pentagon before. Not very many of us have. Everyone from the clerk's desk to the security terminals had all eyeballs on us like an eagle's eye view. It felt very strange and awkward for me to be here.

"Ever feel like everyone's watching us?" Cayce whispered. "Watching you?"

"I kid you not, Cayce," whispered Kristine. "My family and I have visited D.C. and this place alone. You never want to take any chances here indoors."

"I was beginning to think of the same," I whisper.

"It's all about trust," murmured Kristine. "To see if they can trust you. It never ends."

We pass security to be toured through the offices. The place that makes us even more insecure with people crowding around desks and computers. Even caught a woman in a skirt ogling me as she puffed smoke out of her cigarette. There shouldn't be any smoking in here. I looked away before raising unwanted eavesdropping.

"The finest people in the world, right here," said Mattis. "Twenty-four seven. It never ends."

We walk to a checkpoint at a corridor that would us to the elevator down to the NSA center. Mattis talks to the checkpoint clerk to gain us clearance. The clerk grants us clearance, an MP guard lets us through, and we safely walk down the corridor to the NSA elevator.

The corridor we walked through displayed portraits of distinguished heroes and leaders. Presidents or our country from George Washington to Barrack Obama. As Mattis pointed out.

Two secret servicemen were at the elevator on guard. Mattis gave them the password codenamed "Ariel". Then they authorized us as VIPs and let us inside. And then we were taking the elevator down to NSA center.

"He's waiting," said Mattis.

We've taken our descent down to the NSA nerve center with the sweet elevator music to our ears. Then the elevator doors open to an enormous room where global maps projected everywhere including the ceiling and where NSA agents monitor our country's national security via spyware systems as rumor always had it. Never believed in the rumors then. I do now.

"The nerve center," said Mattis. "I believe I'm correct in saying that civilization has been saved more than once in this room."

"If only Seattle could've been saved in this room," said Cayce.

We walk down the steps to the lower level of the nerve center. The DEFCON scale was at level three from the Seattle incident that struck a day earlier. We could see agents and generals in green coats occupying the room next to security maps and screen from our national spyware. In a room that could've saved 9/11. In a room that could've save Portland. In a room that could've saved Seattle.

"It never gets old," said Cage. "Overwhelming isn't it?"

"Net yet," said Mattis.

Mattis walked us down to the door to the inner sanctum of the nerve center below the Pentagon. The defense secretary himself gave the secret servicemen on guard the pass code "Sycorax" to gain us clearance and the guards opened the doors for the seven of us.

"This inner sanctum was built in 1943," said Mattis. "We rarely use it."

We enter the inner sanctum where the president awaits us. Then enter the briefing room where we were to negotiate our war efforts against Continuum Defense Front. Trump once told the world our U.S. military was a disaster for several problematic reasons. Hopefully, our Chrysalis military isn't anywhere near too disastrous to handle Continuum.

"Thank you, Mr. Secretary," said Penske, shaking hands. "Best of luck to all of us."

We all took our seats at table in the inner sanctum. And there he was. President Donald Trump himself. Our duly elected president from last years election, former TV host of "The Apprentice", and richest man in the world since Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.

Cayce, Kristine, Cage, Penske, Pence, and I take our seats while the president stands in a corner of the room waiting for us. Then walks to the table to take his seat next to mine. Never imagined in my life would I be sitting down with the president in the Pentagon. Especially at a briefing. But there we was. The old blond haired man himself sits before me. And then we begin.

"Mr. President," said Mattis.

"Commander Madsen," said Trump.

"A great honor, Mr. President," I said.

"Admiral Penske, Captain Cage, Corporal Foley, Lieutenant Prescott, thank you for joining us," said the president. "We are in grave danger from the quantum terrorist. Our freedom, our very way of life is at risk."

The dossier on Elias Alkaline was unfolded on the table. The president made sure I saw it to pay attention.

"Alkaline," he says. "I'm told you are all the very best we have in our Chrysalis division. Anywhere. You will need to be. America faces the worst conflict once more since 9/11. Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen. We are at war with the Continuum Defense Front. It is time we took care of this quantum crisis. Or Seattle is just the beginning."

* * *

Cayce

July 5th, 2017

8:43 AM

Washington D.C., Maryland

Capitol Hill

A few hours later after, the Chrysalis military army was now rallying and marching in all across Capital Hill from the Washington Monument to the United States Capitol Building to Lincoln Memorial. Where Admiral Penske stood on the podium to give his war speech to every humble and loyal man and women serving the Chrysalis corps. And where President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Secretary Mattis stood beside him during his speech.

David, Kristine, Cage, Flint, and I rode our helicopter back to the Oregon sailing on Chesapeake Bay. Along with other helicopters flying their as well. We could get a bird's eye view of everything on Capital Hill. Including the memorial where the Admiral is sending out his inspirational speech to the troops gathering around the reflecting pool between Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. A few Chrysalis military trucks parked at the reflecting pool where the soldiers were gathering. Hope runs deep when the speech is on.

 _"Chrysalis is no stranger to war,"_ said Penske on the mics that can be heard from miles. _"After all that we've been fighting for as long as we can remember. War is all we know. In the past, we fought for integrity. We fought for country. We fought for freedom. But all that changed after Seattle."_

We could here the speech from the chopper taking us to the Oregon. The speech was being broadcasted on intercoms across D.C. And was being televised live on news channels such as CNN and FOX. They had cameras down at the memorial to broadcast the speech live on national television. To bring everyone the hope needed from the trauma this country has experienced watching Seattle burn to a pile of rubble.

* * *

 _"For almost twenty years, we have been fighting for our very survival against inhuman, genocidal, quantum terrorist. But it is a fight we cannot continue. The world faces a quantum crisis. Unless we end this war now."_

"So why Seattle, Commander?" Flint asked. "Why not just attack some place here?"

"D.C.'s the one place Continuum can't hit off the radar," said David to our new private. "And Seattle was the perfect spot to hit us on our own turf."

"But there was a shit load of ConDef back there, Commander."

"More like ten shit loads."

David turns his head at me and smirks. I shake my head off in response.

* * *

On the Oregon, the refugees taking sanctuary, including my wife and the Caulfields were either listening to the speech on the radio or watching it live on a television screen. They were feeling more and more hopeful as they watched and listened.

 _"We had hoped our victory on the Neo-Chrysalis attack in Portland would decimate quantum terrorism forever. And yet it continued. With a new enemy stronger than the last. They brought with them a force that could destroy entire cites. Even in this nation, our last beacon of hope through all these dark days, is now at risk."_

* * *

David pulled out his photo of him, Joyce, and Chloe out of his pocket. The one he took back at his home in Arcadia Bay. Hoping for his wife's safety on the Oregon and his step-daughter's safety in Portland. As long as he was in this war, he was gonna need all the hope he could get as any soldier would need to see their families again. Including his. Including Kristine's. Including mine. That much we deserved.

The chopper was nearing Chesapeake Bay and nearing the Oregon and the rest of the Chrysalis class first fleet sailing on it. Including the Tillamook, the Hood, the Monarch, the Salem, etc. And soon, we would be landing on the Oregon in no time.

The speech was being broadcasted on the intercoms from the aircraft carrier in the fleet as well. This war was about to bring together many Chrysalis lines far and near. The war was as serious as Penske's speech.

 _"Soon we'll have nothing left to defend. And that means we only have one option: attack!"_

Every helicopter spinning their propellers above Chesapeake Bay was coming in for a landing on the carriers. That's when we were coming in for our landing on the flight deck of the Oregon.

* * *

 _"Chrysalis, what I ask of you now is not an easy thing. But it is necessary."_

Soldier on the flight deck were chanting as the speech brought voice to them. Our chopping was now ready to make it's complete landing on the deck near the runway of the Oregon. The speech continues.

 _"If we are to survive, if we are to live long enough to see the seasons pass and our children grow and experience a time of peace we've never known, we must now...take this fight...to the Continuum Defense Front."_

* * *

Penske prevailed his speech on the podium back at the memorial with a bit more energy now. To increase his loyal marines' motivation.

 _"We will go to where they conquer and where they oppress and we...will...destroy them!"_

The crowd of troop gathered at the reflect pool applauded, chanted, and clamored. Clapping their hand, pumping their fist, raising their guns, and hollering "yeah" and "oorah" at their Admiral.

* * *

The soldiers on the Oregon were as well inspired. Listening to every inspirational and motivating vowel from the Penske.

 _"This is the day we take the battle to the heart of the enemy. This is the day we correct the course of human history."_

* * *

The refugees at the sanctuary were inspired by Penske's hopeful speech as well. Smiling, cheering, and applauding a leader's rally. Granting their family's and friends' demand for hope and calm before the storm. Hope that measured a soldier's to a citizen's.

 _"This is the day we ensure our survival as one!"_

* * *

 _"Soldiers of the corps, my fellow marines, go forth and bring back the hope of humanity there and back again!"_

With the speech ending on the most daunting note possible, every trooper gathered at the Lincoln district praised their Admiral's preaching of hope with a mass applaud like the roars of a million lions. With cheers, gun raising, fist pumping, and smiles put on their faces. Waking the lions in them, turning on their beacons of hope, and loading their weapons with the propaganda and will power to win the war.

* * *

Once we got off the chopper, Lieutenant Major Heard was there on the flight deck waiting for us with a smile. We approached her for her warm welcome on the Oregon.

"Welcome to the Oregon, Commander Madsen," said Heard. "You ready to hit the road?"

"You know it," replied David.

"Well then, let's break some ConDef bones. Shall we?"

And so we all prepared for war, geared for war, and gone to war. With Chrysalis on the brink of war with Continuum and our president's declaration of war on Continuum, our time had come. For Valor Team, the paragon of the Chrysalis Corps, to be made the tip of the spear in the coming quantum warfare. The beginning of another quantum war. The beginning of another eternity war.

This is how it begins. And where we go from here.

 **Note: So...we're going to war readers! Once again! This time with the Continuum Defense Front. An enemy worse the Neo-Chrysalis in my fan fiction lore. An enemy undefeated.**

 **I have not been able to post this chapter for some time due to writing my Christmas one shot from Arcadian One Shots, spending time with family for Christmas, and playing around with my Christmas toys. As anyone with holiday spirit would! So here I am now finally posting this and back up to speed with this story. You all know how this story is going with it's title. It's going to be challenging, but exciting with all my passion and spirit for Life is Strange!**

 **And yes folks, I've played the finale to Before the Storm and so have you. Heartbreaking, yet heart warming all the same. Don't even get me started with the after credits scene. You all knew it was coming. Predictable at best, unbearable at worst. Doesn't matter.**

 **Until next time, see y'all soon and stay golden!**

 **P.S. If you're skeptic as to why I have used Trump and other real life politics in this story, and why I had him declare war on a fictional terrorist group, note I severely did not intend any political controversy. Only to make the conflict and stakes more fitting to this story. Nothing more. I expect no secret servicemen at my door understanding my true intentions. Thank you.**


	3. Once A Traveler

Chapter 3 Once A Traveler

Alex \- Age 25 (POV)

Max \- Age 21

Rachel \- Age 21

July 5th, 2017

8:30 AM

Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver International Airport

Max and I hop out of our plane from a boarding ramp as soon as it lands. Picking up our luggage off the plane and making our exit single file with everyone else. This was the place where we were to meet our old friends, Kristen and Fernando. As well as Max's friends from Arcadia Bay, Rachel and Frank. Who I never met, but will. The one's Max told me about telling her story on the porch back in Portland.

Once we were off the ramp, I could see a young woman with long blonde hair, a blue feather pierced on her ear, and hazel colored eyes. Standing next to her boyfriend with skeevy hair and a goatee who looked older than his mistress. Wearing a shirt with a Heinz logo above the word 'Beans'. These two must be my cousin's friends from Malibu. They both smile and wave at us to welcome us to Vancouver.

"Rachel Amber," says Max. "LA's correspondent."

"Hey, Max," says the girl named Rachel. "Don't forget I'm also last year's model."

"Hey, hey, Max," says Rachel's boyfriend. "How ya doin', sweetheart?"

Max hugs the girl named Rachel and the boyfriend for a nice warm welcome. Then my cousin has yet to introduce me to her friends.

"Rachel, Frank, this is my cousin, Alex," said Max introducing me. "Alex, this is Rachel Amber and Frank Bowers from the stories. Both of them and I go back from the bay."

I shake hands with Rachel and Frank. Finally meeting them eye to eye.

"So you must be Max's cousin," said Rachel. "The one I heard about on the phone."

"And you must be that Blackwell princess with the DA daddy Max told me about," I said.

"My DA daddy is now a senator daddy running for governor in San Fran."

"I didn't know Max had a cousin," said the man named Frank. "Now we have two Caulfields to worry about. Where do the two of you go back from?"

"We go back from Seattle," I said. "You must be the Frank Bowers my cousin first met in that junkyard back in Arcadia."

"Yeah, I am. And it wasn't so much a polite introduction as this back then. If you get what I mean."

"Did you and Chloe see us bring the house down last night on TV?" Rachel asked Max. "Exciting, wasn't it?"

"Oh don't even get me started," said Frank.

"You two were on fire last night, Rachel," I said. "Chloe and I saw the whole thing. And made sure to vote for you as well."

"These two were on TV?" I asked.

"They were on So You Think You Can Dance," replied.

"You two were on So You Think You Can Dance?" I chuckle. "Do you know what kind of people go on those shows?"

"The kind of people who are obsessed with acting," said Frank. "As they are obsessed with Hollywood, Los Angeles, and reality TV."

"Frank, we were on fire last night," said Rachel. "Don't be scared to admit it. You looked fabulous in that fedora and that rose in your mouth."

"I was shitting myself the whole time is what I was. That rose reminded me of your mom. No pun intended."

"Ha, ha."

"How are you doing, Rachel?" Max asked. "Besides TV and all?"

"Never better, Max," replied Rachel. "Better than ever actually. And besides TV, my producer and manager back at the studio is still hooking me up with a few acting jobs here there. Says I might be getting closer to union acting yet."

"Did your parents get to see your dance on the show too?"

"They sure did. Dad says I made my mom cry and her heart melt when I danced on camera. By the way, Max, I saw what happened to Seattle. I know you still have parents living there. I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Rachel. My parents made it out alive. Thanks to David and his Valor squad. And Joyce managed to get out alive too."

"That's good. Where's Chloe? Did she not come?"

"She's back in Portland. It's just Alex and I here that came along."

"I shouldn't be worried about what's in those bags, right?"

"Nope, course not."

"Nope, not at all," I said.

"Yeah, not yet anyway."

Max

July 5th, 2017

8:35 AM

Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver International Airport

The four of us enter the airport through a walkway inside. We had still yet to meet Fernando and Kristen here who were waiting at the boarding room. When we exited the walkway and entered the boarding room, Rachel had some questions for us about why we were really here and up to.

"So what exactly are you two reprobates up to?" She asked.

"Just visiting another distant relative," I replied.

"Right, so that explains your cousin?"

"Exactly."

"No cursed powers?"

"Beside my cursed powers, no."

"No diabolical super villains like Jeffershit and Crosbitch?"

"No."

"You are the worst liar."

"What?"

"You are."

"Oh come on. We're not gonna start this now, are we?"

"Excuse me," says Alex. "Could I say something?"

"I got this, Alex," I said. "She's not talking to you."

"Why don't I take the bags? I'll leave you two to it. Rachel's boyfriend and I will wait."

Alex takes our bags and leaves us to our discussion as she walks to the boarding chairs with Frank to wait. I continue talking when our privacy is cleared.

"Max-"

"You're still wearing it."

I catch a glimpse of Rachel's friendship bracelet she had been wearing since her first year with Chloe seven years back. I understood I was still wearing mine and so was Chloe. Rachel checked her wrist to see herself still wearing it.

"Yeah, I am. It helps in this part of the world."

"Oh really."

"Seriously, don't flatter yourself."

"I see your still wearing yours."

I check my wrist to notice I was still wearing mine. I know I was.

"Why are you really here, Max?" Rachel continued. "I figured you were here for that Vancouver job you've been looking into for months."

"I am here for that job, Rachel," I said. "Except I'm not. At least I'm supposed to be."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I'm here to see my Uncle. Alex brought me here to see him for some unfinished business I have to deal with him. Nothing more."

"And does Chloe actually know what you're really up to here? Does she?"

"Max, que pasa!" A voice called out for me in Spanish.

"Max, you're here!" Another voice called me out.

I know those voices from anywhere. The voices of some old friends all the way from Seattle. I turn my head to confirm the voices as anticipated.

"Fernando! Kristen!" I shout out loud.

Before I can answer Rachel's question, I race to my two Seattle besties for a quick hug. Fernando gives me a little knuckle sandwich on the head through my hair for his reunion. All I get from Kristen is just a simple light hearted hug.

"Yo, Max," said Fernando. "Long time, no see, girl! What's up?! How's my gringas doing?!"

"Good to see you too, Fernando," I said smiling.

"Nice to see you again, Max," said Kristen. "How was going back to Arcadia Bay and Blackwell?"

"Pretty good. It was alright. Could've been better, you know. With everything that's happened considered."

"Dude, we've heard a lot about you since you've been gone," said Fernando. "That girl you saved on the roof, that whole tornado thing and the trial, Triple 4, are they all true?"

"You bet they're all true, Fernan," says Alex regrouping with Frank. "Max told me the whole story from beginning to end. But in my heart, she's still the same old little cousin I knew before getting shot in that sewer."

"And who are these two amigos?" Fernando asked seeing Frank and Rachel.

"Fernando, Kristen, this Rachel and Frank from Arcadia Bay," I introduce. "Rachel, Frank, this is Kristen and Fernando from Seattle."

The four of them take second to say hi to one another. It was about time I get Rachel and Frank up to speed with the situation. If only it were so easy.

"Okay, folks," said Alex. "Now that we've introduced ourselves to one another, I say we head down to my dad's house in Aurora Creek not far from here. It just on the other end of town. So, Kristen, Fernando, if I could just get Max, Rachel, and Frank here up to speed, we'd best be on our way. Let's not keep Dad waiting."

I turn my head to Rachel as we all make way for the terminals exiting the airport. I give her an awkward smirk and a shrug once we do. She rolls her eyes when I do. Then off to Uncle Bryan's we go.

No matter where Max Caulfield goes, adventure follows. And with it, her powers that be. Once a traveler, always a traveler.

David

July 5th, 2017

9:05 AM

Chesapeake Bay

USCC Oregon

On the Oregon, Heard takes us to the sanctuary deck where the war refugees take shelter. Including my wife and the Caulfields. Heard, Cage, and Flint left for the lounge on the crew deck when we got there while Cayce, Kristine, and I explored the sanctuary to find Joyce, Vanessa, and Ryan.

At the sanctuary, there were people lined up at a security checkpoint. Walking through terminals to gain clearance to the refugee deck and be checked of their belongings. There was also a memorial wall honoring the fallen veterans and civilians already lost to this war. I could see some refugees mourning their family and friend both veterans and non-veterans they lost to the Seattle attack. Piece to the fallen.

Mason, Logos, and Newblood, were at the lounge on the crew deck with the three of the team who left us. Lynch was at the sick bay still covering from her head trauma she took on the crash. Us three walked into the refugee area where they set up tents and bunk beds with a few sleeping bags for everyone's convenience.

The three of us find my wife and the Caulfields sitting down at one of the bunks. Joyce is safe and sound comforting Vanessa with Ryan lying down on his bunk to rest his broken leg. A civilian like him could never get out of that crash unscathed.

"David, you're here," says Joyce. I hug her when we see each other.

"Hey, Joyce," I say. "How're holding up?"

"I've been better. So have Vanessa and Ryan."

"How's Ryan's leg doing, V?" I ask her. "Any better."

"A doctor patched him up and said he'll make a recovery in the next week or two," said Vanessa. "We never thanked you and your team for getting us out that fiasco in Seattle. Otherwise we would've been pummeled in that war zone."

"Does Max know you're okay?"

"She does. I text her message saying we're fine. She's still flying to Vancouver for that job she's taking."

"And Chloe know we're fine too," said Joyce. "I made sure she got my message too."

"How are you holding up, Ryan?" I ask him. "How do you feel?"

"Like my kneecap is broken is how I feel," he says. "That's the understatement of the day."

"How did the briefing go?" Joyce asked. "With the admiral and the president?"

"It went alright," I reply. "I think it made Cayce and Kristine a little sick though. I'm pretty sure you've met these two back at HQ."

"You have no idea," said Cayce. "Something about the Pentagon made me feel nauseous and insecure."

"You never want to let your guard down at the Pentagon," said Kristine. "My family and I have been there once or twice and they're security will never take their eyes off of you."

"Like David could never take his eyes off people at Blackwell when he was chief of security," said Ryan chuckling.

"Security at Blackwell did not compare to the Pentagon's," I reply. "They weren't just watching the compound alone, they watching our entire country and the rest of the globe around it. And here I thought I used to be Rambo searching for enemy intelligence."

The ship's intercom was on and the captain's voice was heard.

 _"This is Captain Harvest to Madsen, Foley, and Prescott. Report to CIC immediately."_

"I got to go, Joyce," I said. "We got to go. I'll come by later when we're done. Okay?"

"Do what you must, David," replied Joyce. "We'll be just fine here. Take care."

Cayce

July 5th, 2017

9:14 AM

Chesapeake Bay

USCC Oregon

David, Kristine, and I enter the CIC room where Captain Harvest waits for us. CIC was on the bridge of the Oregon occupied by ensigns, lieutenants and the captain himself. Whatever the captain wanted from us, it must've been exciting for us to see.

We see the captain near the con talking to his first officer. Then he turns away and dismisses his first officer to speak with us.

"Commander Madsen," said Captain Harvest. "Good to have you on board. Admiral Penske speaks highly of you."

"Likewise," said David. "It's an honor, Captain. What are we in for?"

"Admiral Penske was arranging meeting with us via vid comm, Commander."

"When?"

"Right now. We're getting him on the line as I speak."

"Sir, Admiral Penske is on the line," said the comms officer.

"Put him through," said Harvest.

We walk to the vid comm where the admiral is on the line. He projects himself on the communication screen in the CIC where we talk to him.

 _"Captain Harvest, ladies, gentlemen, good to see you,"_ said Penske on screen.

 _"Admiral,"_ says Harvest.

 _"Let me make our situation absolutely clear. By order of President Trump, we are now at war with the Continuum Defense Front. Due to the attack on Seattle, our defense grid in the Washington state has been diminished. At this time, the Oregon and Tillamook will be the only reliable ships we have at this time. Our next course of action is to by Chrysalis time while we rebuild our network."_

"Understood, Admiral," replied Harvest. "Oregon is prepared for tasking."

 _"Today's attack was not limited to Seattle. ConDef will be launching a full scale attack on every network of ours nationwide and worldwide. Our mission is to defend the network, protect the innocent, and uphold our alliance to it's premium. Commander Madsen, I'll be putting you in charge of the operations with your team along with Captain Cage. Your role as second in command still stands."_

"Roger that, Admiral," replied David.

 _"Above all, keep the enemy away from home. Godspeed, Valor. Penske out."_

The comm comes offline and we review Penske's orders.

"Well that was broad," said Kristine.

"He's always like that, Kris," I said. "It's his definition of 'Godspeed'."

"We'll serve the marines in Valor," said David to the captain.

"And I'll provide overwatch from the Oregon with the Tillamook," said Harvest. "Let's go to work, Commander Madsen. Stay sharp out there. All of you."

"You two, Captain," said David.

The captain leaves CIC and the three of us alone on the deck with everyone else in the room. Knowing what we have to do. I scoff.

"You got some shoes to fill in now, Commander," I said.

"We've got limited boots and guns," said David. "Lieutenant Prescott and I will deploy with you as always."

"This isn't just a simple ground assault, ya know. This is now a war we're fighting."

"Yesterday was Independence Day. But today, is more dependent than ever."

"See you on the battlefield, Commander. I'll be on the crew deck if you need me."

 **Note: Happy New Years, everyone! This story may be far from over, but as 2017 is actually over, this will be my last chapter I post of this year. And just to let you know, keep an eye out for some minimal callbacks in this story. If your a die hard LIS fan as I am, 'Rambo searching for enemy intelligence' is one of them in this chapter. As well as 'After five years, you're still Max Caulfield' is another from the first chapter.**

 **Happy Hella New Year! And until next time, stay classy and golden!**


	4. Bryan Caulfield

Chapter 4 Bryan Caulfield

Max

July 5th, 2017

9:55 AM

Aurora Creek, Canada

Caulfield Estate

I ride in Alex's car she took to get to the airport with Fernando and Kristen. The same car she had been driving when I still lived in Seattle. Even though she got a motorbike for her sweet sixteen back during my first year I moved there. Rachel and Frank drove their car they rented from the airport and followed us to Aurora Creek. A small town north of Vancouver where Alex and Uncle Bryan were now living.

Alex was now living in a house built on a plantation with my uncle. The plantation surrounding the house was beautiful. A yard of tall green grass, pine trees in the distance, and a creek streaming from the plantation to the small town adjoined to Vancouver. The infrastructure of the house I was seeing was modern in design, but looked renovated in some parts from an older design.

My cousin parks the car in an unpaved driveway used for parking. When Rachel follows us in her car, she does the same. Then another old relative of mine had walked out of the house who came out eager to see me. As soon as everyone of us stepped out of our cars, the man walking out the front door put a smile on his face to see his beloved niece once again after so many years. I return the smile to my own uncle for my long overdue reunion I had yet to fulfill.

 **Voices - Daughter**

"Here we are," said Alex. "My home away from hell. I believe someone here is very eager to see you."

"Max! My lovely niece returns!" Uncle Bryan calls out.

"Uncle Bryan!" I shout happily.

I run to my uncle and give him a tight hug around the shoulders. My uncle was my second closest relative I had back in my Seattle days.

The man himself was bearded with black hair. Just like my dad, except he was brown haired. The one common trait my cousin and I had was that we had our own father's hair color. Mine and dad's were brown and my cousin and uncle's were black. And since my dad and uncle were both bearded men, it made them twin brothers.

"In the flesh, Dad," said Alex. "I told you I'd find her after all these years apart."

"It's brilliant to see you again, Max," said Uncle Bryan. "You've grown so much into a beautiful young woman. I've heard so many strange stories about you since your travels to Arcadia Bay. From that tornado to the Portland attack. And this strange power you have I hear about too."

"It's complicated, Uncle," I said. "I'm just happy someone was able to miraculously save my cousin from bleeding out and drowning at a beach in Tacoma."

"When I heard about Seattle, I feared the worst. Are your mother and father okay? Did they make it out?"

"Yeah, they did. They shot me a text saying they were saved."

"Good. That makes us equally relieved."

"Great, more relatives," said Frank approaching with our other three companions. "Why did we come here again?"

"Frank, show some respect around relatives, please," said Rachel.

"And who are your friends?" Bryan asked.

"Uncle Bryan, this is Rachel and Frank," I introduce the two. "We go back from Arcadia Bay. Rachel, Frank, this is my Uncle Bryan from Seattle."

Rachel waves at Bryan for a kind gesture with the introduction. Frank makes no gesture at all. Fair enough.

"Well, Dad," said Alex. "We better get Max up to speed about why we brought her here. I think she has much to learn."

"Plus, we're going to have more mouths to feed now that we have Max's new friends to worry about," said Fernando.

"Indeed," said Bryan. "Come then. Let's make ourselves at home. We have much to discuss."

The seven of us walk inside. Alex's new home was even nicer on the inside. The flooring, the furniture, and windows, kick knacks, even paintings on the wall. Much nicer looking than Alex's home from Seattle. Rachel said it was even nicer and bigger than her home in Arcadia Bay. Like a big mansion.

Bryan offered us a cup of scotch on the way in and we all accept his offer. Except for Kristen who didn't drink a whole lot. Then we all sit down in the living room with my cousin and uncle drinking scotch. Sharing my story in Arcadia Bay.

As I tell my uncle the whole story from 'that' week when I first got my powers all the way to the Triple 4 incident in Portland, he was instantly invested into his niece's fascinating but strange story. Believed in every detail to be true considering from what he had heard in the media with his daughter throughout. But still couldn't imagine what trouble I had to go through those six months of my senior year at Blackwell.

"What can I say, Bryan?" I continue. "Everything I've told you is the story of life. A life I've been running away from to start anew. A normal life away from Arcadia Bay."

"I can't imagine what you to go through all that time back in Arcadia Bay," said Bryan.

"We've all been through hell and high water, Mr. Caulfield," said Rachel. "Your niece, Max Caulfield, time warrior, as Chloe would call her, was a real champion. Like me."

"Rachel wasn't it? Please, call me Bryan. Everyone else in the room does."

"Bryan, why am I really here?" I ask my uncle. "Alex told me about the herd - about the you know what thing and you and her are up to with them. I'd like to know more."

I remember what Alex told me when she said never to tell anyone about the Herd of Whales. I made sure to keep it silent from Rachel and Frank. Not sure if Fernando and Kristen knew about them, but my lips were sealed from the other two.

Bryan stayed silent for a second or two. Thinking about the other people in the room who have ears open listening to his words. Then decides to dismiss them.

"Fernando, Kristen, would you take our guest upstairs?" Bryan asked my old friends. "I must speak with Alex and Max privately. I have a game of Parcheesi upstairs you can play with them while we do."

"Why do you got to speak in private?" Fernando questioned. "We can all stick around for the conversation, can't we?"

"I'm not asking you twice. Please, escort our guest upstairs. They mustn't hear any of this."

"Let Rachel stay," I said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Uncle, maybe Rachel might be interested. I trust Rachel enough to stay down here with us talk about whatever we need to talk about."

"Why?" Rachel thought.

"Yeah, why does she get to stay?" Frank wondered.

"Because Rachel might be a person who might understand what you have to say better than anyone else is why," I reply. "Please, Bryan. I insist."

"You two, take one of our guest up stairs while the four of chat," said Bryan.

"I'm supposed to play Parcheesi with these two strangers while you four sit down and talk?" Frank asked.

"It's not that bad of a game really," said Kristen.

"Frank, was it?" Fernando asked. "Come on, it'll be fine. I'm sure their conversation will bore you anyway."

"Whatever," said Frank.

As the three left to play Parcheesi upstairs, Bryan started talking with Alex, Rachel, and I. And this is what he has to say.

"Max, what if I told you that whatever you learned in Arcadia Bay was only half the truth of what you know about your powers?" He says.

"Why is it always half the truth I already know?" I question. "What's new this time?"

"You want to know more, don't you? Why it all really happened and where your powers truly came from. What you already know is that Neo-Chrysalis orchestrated both the Arcadia storm and Triple 4. What you don't know is that they had been influenced under a secret society. A sinister shadow cult know as the Herd of Whales."

"The Herd of Whales?" Rachel wondered.

"I think I've already told Max about this, Dad," said Alex. "So..."

"You didn't tell her everything, Alex. Let me finish. From what your cousin may have told you, Max, they are society banding every imperative family that heirs the herd. Including the Prescott family you mentioned in your story. The one's from your home town. Each and every one of those families are led by your former high school principal, Joanna Prescott."

"So I'm told."

"Joanna is the younger sibling to Sean Prescott and aunt to the late Nathan Prescott. Your former adversaries were all heirs to the herd. And now the Herd of Whales are league with the Continuum Defense Front. The ones responsible for the attack on Seattle."

"Where are you going with this, Bryan?" I ask. "What's this have to do with anything about me or everything else?"

"Everything, Max. Everything. More than you realize. It's time you've learned the other half of the truth. Come now. I have something to show you."

Bryan escorts the three of us to a study with a truck load of kick knacks, history books, antiques, artifacts, paintings and picture frames of old historical figures and events. Even propaganda posters historical wars. And not the ones I've seen in the history books I've read in any history class I've taken. Rather strange ones read taglines such as "Time Is Our Ally" or "Time For After".

And the historical paintings featured some strange figures that looked like mythos from certain mythological origins. The paintings themselves featured historical figures of scientist, explorers, artist and world leaders from old Britain to early renaissance to the early nineteen hundreds.

From Catherine the Great, George Washington, William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth, Abraham Lincoln, Fredrick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, the Wright Brothers, Giotto, Michelangelo, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Henry V, Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Antoine Lavoisier, Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler, Edmund Hillary, Theodore Roosevelt, Nicolaus Copernicus, and so much more.

Whatever the reason I was seeing all these people, I was immediately invested into my uncle's little history museum. More than I've ever been invested in history before.

"What your seeing here is every historical figure ever existed who secretly belonged to the Herd of Whales," said Bryan.

There were also other portraits of people I never recognized from any history book. But they looked like they were indeed painted centuries ago.

"And here are portraits Sirs Aloysius Prescott and Arnold Blackwell," said Bryan. "Knights of Kensington and heirs to the herd from seventeenth century Britain. They both drunk sewage water and committed suicide at their time of their deaths. They were clearly quite mad. All mad certainly."

Every face I saw in the room was either a Prescott, Blackwell, or historical figure. All who belonged and who was a member of the Herd of Whales. The paintings that featured historical warfare including some strange celestial-like figures. One of them looking to be a figure I've crossed paths with such as Chronos the god of time. Others I've never seen, witnessed, or heard of from my knowledge.

"In their halcyon days," continued Bryan. "They were quite the club. From the brilliant minds, explorers, scientist, artist, world leaders, Renaissance thrill seekers, you name 'em. They all belonged to a secret society you see. All united in one cause. To protect the secret history of time travel. Right here on this planet."

The next exhibit my uncle showed was of a family tree on the wall. One bigger than the circle of life in the Lion King.

"Now this is the Herd of Whales family tree," said Bryan showing us the tree on the wall. "Starting with Merlin and Viviana. Goes back forty generations. The Prescotts and Blackwells had some small parts in all this."

"Incredible," said Rachel.

"Wowsers," I said.

"I'm sorry," said Alex. "Did you just say wowsers?"

"Yep, I did. And from a person who taught me the word when we were kids, don't say I'm too old to say it. You'll sound just like Chloe."

"Now that's the Max I know after five long years. Even after becoming a college girl and being old enough to drink, you really haven't changed a bit, have you now? I like it."

"Max, look!" Rachel pointed out. "Look who's on this tree!"

I look towards where Rachel points out and not only do I see the modern Prescott family, I also see my former psychedelic mentors I've met throughout the years on this tree as well.

"Holy shit," I said. "Is – is that who I think there are?"

"You bet they are," replied Rachel. "It would appear that the Jefferson and Crosby families played a role in this society as well. Including Mark and Derrick. And our third president of the US just so happens to be good ol' Marky J's ancestor. Both of these psychos were actually members of this old cult."

"They were indeed," said Bryan. "Your old friend Nathan Prescott was an heir this organization as well before his tragic passing. So was his mother and father, Sean and Caroline, as well as his sibling, Kristine."

I turn my head toward some old war propaganda posters on another wall and approach them. The one poster I stared at was of a bearded man with a cap and scarf with text that read: **MAY THE HERD GUIDE US TO VICTORY!**

"Uncle Bryan, who's this?" I ask.

"That is Professor Ezra Prescott," said Bryan. "Helped turn the tide of the first world war with your Blackwell Academy founder, Jeremiah Blackwell. Preventing the Germans from winning the war."

"I think she knows the story, Dad," said Alex. "I told her back in Portland when we first met each other again."

"Why are you showing me all this?" I ask my uncle. "I still don't get what this has to do with my power and everything."

"What if I said that history could be written with your power?" My uncle asks. "The history has been secretly written and rewritten to make what history is today?"

"What does that mean?"

"It means that there have been people throughout the ages who secretly altered the course of history into the way it was meant to be. Into what it is now."

"How would people with my power do that?"

"The same way you made history during 'that' week between you and your friend, Chloe. Had it not been for your power, you would not be living happily together in Portland. When you saved Chloe's father from the accident that killed him, it created an alternate timestream where her father was alive, but your friend took her father's place in an accident otherwise and caused her to be paralyzed. You fixed that error by going back to reverse the events of the past to reset the current present as you knew it. The people with your power erased alternate realities where America still maintained British rule or where the Nazis were victorious in the second world war. That is how they made everyone's time and fate for themselves and others. And so the herd kept it hidden."

It was only difficult to believe how much I only knew half the candor of time travel itself when it all came down to me from the day in that bathroom to now. People in the past who managed to write all the history books with my power? Alternate realities of the British still running America and the Nazis winning World War II? All hidden from this secret society who call themselves the Herd of Whales. Wowsers can be the puniest word to express this.

I believe Crosby once told me stories of other people with my power back in my Blackwell dorm. As well as theories involving time fractures crashing continuum and setting up weather disasters like the storm in Arcadia Bay. But no stories of this. Knowing his face was on the herd's family tree, I now understood why he hadn't told me.

Bryan took us to another exhibit of his in the house related to ancient England. Swords and knight armor in display. All from Arthurian origin.

"It all began in 487 AD," said Bryan. "When King Arthur and his wizard, Merlin, stared down and vanquished the Saxon hordes on the island of Meridian Prime. That's his sword and his mace there. Replicas of them that is."

"It's a myth," said Rachel.

"Yeah, every legend, every myth," said Bryan "Every story whispered around the campfire has a logical explanation."

"Oh, with that, I agree wholeheartedly. Mr. Keaton used to say he was only myth back in my Blackwell days when I once auditioned for a King Arthur play. Only that logic isn't all fairy tales and unicorns. You're talking about magic."

"What, like your magical resurrection powers Max told me about?" Alex asked. "Not to mention Max's power is indistinguishably magic."

"You sound just like Arthur C. Clarke. Impressive for someone not from Ms. Grant's chemistry class."

"Yeah, I was in chemistry too ya know," said Alex. "Back in Cleveland High, Ms. Blackwell Princess or Celebrity, Vigilante, whatever you call yourself."

"It's all of the above."

 **Witches - Daughter**

The three of us were now taken to a room with more Arthurian antiques, trinkets, and treasures. This room had painting on the walls of Arthurian characters from the legend itself. As well as a big circulated table with twelve chairs mounted with chest armor.

"And here, we have the original round table," said Bryan. "Before the Herd of Whales, there was the Order of Saint Loomis. A sacred order founded by none other than King Arthur himself with the same mission as the herd. And the order that influenced the herd centuries onward. Percival, Gawain, Tristan, Lancelot, they sat right here. Twelve in all. And behind them, sat their Moirai and deity who came from Olympus. The Sisters of Fate, Lahkesis, Atropos, and Clotho. And the god of time, Chronos."

* * *

 _The knights of Loomis all gathered around the round table with the sisters and their god. Arthur and his twelve knights all sat down in their chairs in unity. With Lahkesis, Atropos, and Clotho hovering behind them and Chronos sitting on this throne behind the round table. Arthur then proposed his toast in the name of Loomis and the name of Camelot._

 _"_ _We fight for honor," said Arthur. "We fight for the human race. For all that is good in mankind. To brothers old and brothers new!"_

 _"_ _To brothers old and brothers new!" The knights chanted in unison._

 _The knights raised their glasses up high for their toast. Then raised their sword up high and clamored. And then the sisters raised their long arms and pointed their fingers up high posed as swords. And finally, Chronos raises his hand toward where the swords and arms are pointed to form a luminous star above the round table. Then the knight say their code of conduct all in great unison._

 _"_ _No sacrifice, no victory!"_

* * *

"The Olympus fates and gods who saw in Camelot," continued Bryan. "What the human race can be at it's finest. A race of honor. This belonged to King Arthur himself."

Bryan showed us King Arthur's chest plate mounted on Arthur's chair.

"Now legend held," he continued. "That one last traveler would someday be chosen and the struggle to save the world would begin. It would appear, Max, that last traveler is you. That is why your cousin and I have brought you here."

I blush at my uncle's words.

"Me?" I thought. "The last traveler? Shut up."

"The rightful words are speak up," said Bryan. "The many travelers before you said no different when they had been chosen for your power. And now you are humanity's last hope to stopping the Eternity War the herd has started."

"I'm sorry, let's skip the legends and cut to the chase. Alex said you and her had a plan of some sort to deal with the herd. Where's my part in all that?"

"Patience, Max. I'm getting there. The main idea is, the herd has been under a nasty influence for some time. Hence their allegiance with ConDef. Their corruption come from their deceptive influence of Ares the god of war."

"I don't understand."

"Ares was the Olympian god of war. Son of Zeus and Hera. Who began the first Eternity War back during the Arthurian era when King Arthur fought his battle on Meridian Prime. And the second during Ezra's conquest on Meridian Prime in World War I. And now, Ares himself has started a third with the attack on Seattle. With the help of the Continuum Defense Front and the Herd of Whales."

"Why would someone like Ares want to attack Seattle?"

"For over a thousand centuries, Ares has been on a conquest to take control of what you may recall the Ark of Genesis. An ark capable of integrating the balance and freedom of the time space continuum. One that Ares alone wants to use as his destruction of time, space, and continuum. One he decides to use for a war to end all wars, a fate to end all fates, and a time to end all times. All with the allegiance of the herd and defense front. What Alex and I want from you is an exchange with the herd tomorrow night at six PM. What I ask of the two is something uneasy and rather dangerous, but necessary. You two are to make an exchange with one of the herd's top lieutenants and ConDef's notorious leader. General Alkaline."

"Whoa, I'm sorry. Alkaline? Elias Alkaline? Chrysalis's fugitive war criminal, kidnapped children for illegal experiments, invaded the Arabian Peninsula for the same super weapons that destroyed Arcadia Bay and Portland?! Alex, what the fuck have I come all this way for?!"

"I know, I know, Max," said Alex. "That guy's a dangerous ass-hat. I get it. But he's not the only person in on this. Joanna Prescott is part of this too. Our old Cleveland principal. The woman leading the Herd of Whales and the lady who was Sean Prescott's sister and Nathan Prescott's auntie. Let Dad finish and hear him out before getting hysterical too soon."

"As I was saying, Max," continued Bryan. "You and Alex are going to make an exchange with Alkaline himself and other members of the herd at the Low Bar downtown of Vancouver. You'll be exchanging a forgery of the Eon Codex I found online for a value of fifteen thousand dollars. Then you'll be infiltrating a secret hideout the herd has in Vancouver to find a map hidden there. Quite frankly, you'll be needing your friends' help on this mission. Fernando, Kristen, and your friend here Rachel."

"Don't forget about that Frank guy that came with Rachel too," said Alex.

"You know what," said Rachel. "I think this calls for a private discussion between Max, Alex, and I if you don't mind, Bryan?"

"Not at all. Take all the time you need with my daughter and niece to set things straight if you must. I'll be upstairs with the rest of your friends."

"A bathroom we could use?"

"Across the hall, first door on the left."

By now, this is the part where Rachel must be officially pissed off about the situation Alex has dragged me into. And I'm really not sure who to blame here. My cousin who's forced me into this nonsense or myself who's lied to my roommate about the Vancouver job over some stupid war.

We walk inside the bathroom Bryan showed us to where our private discussions turns on.

"First of all, Max," begins Rachel. "Your cousin and uncle are nice people. I admit it. But no offense to Alex here, the one thing we've both learned from nice people is that they can turn into the most back-stabbing sons of bitches out there. Even family. Secondly, we both know you aren't here for the Vancouver job like you were supposed to. Doesn't that sound a little odd to you?"

"I didn't know what I was in for any more than you didn't, Rachel," I said. "Say what you want about Alex and Bryan, they are not back-stabbers. I have known them longer before you started climbing onto Chloe."

"Max, you do realize you're up against a man named Alkaline. The most hated terrorist leader since Osama Bin Laden. Fugitive war criminal to Chrysalis! You said it yourself back there by the round table."

"Yeah, we can deal with that when get to the bar."

"That psycho would like nothing better than for you to show up. Plus, he's got this Joanna Prescott, Sean's sister and Nathan's auntie whom I've never heard of running this secret shadow cult, and an army of ConDef who just blew up Seattle like 9/11 times ten to back them up."

"We've butt heads with terrorist once, I'd be obligated to do it again no matter how much our normal lives tried to keep us away from that. And I'd do it for family. Alex who is family. Long before Chloe and I ever were."

"How is Chloe cool with all this?"

Rachel raised her eyebrow and frowned. I give her an awkward smirk.

"Oh Jesus, Max," she says covering her eyes.

"Look, it's just not that simple," I said.

Rachel scoffed.

"With all that you two have been through together-"

"She wouldn't understand this."

"You are not giving her enough credit."

I sigh.

"I can't take that chance."

"And why shouldn't you? As of right now, not only are we breaking our promises to stay away from this fantasy to shift our lives back to reality, we're breaking our promises to never lie to someone like Chloe ever again. Which is exactly what you've done right now."

"You called me the worst liar back at the airport. Like you haven't been the worst liar either. I'm pretty sure your dad wasn't the worst liar-"

"Max! Wake up! And smell the fucking coffee! You know I'm right and you know what you've done was wrong. Even after all the years of bad juju we had to go through in Arcadia Bay, you still haven't learned a thing, have you?"

"Oh, I think I've learned plenty. It's too bad we both had our share of family secrets. Mine especially when it came to hiding the truth about Alex when I first saw Chloe again on that fateful Monday. Something I've barricaded her from since. Something I should've told her when she told me about you on day one. Something that would've made her understand the true reason I've divided myself away from her in that five year gap."

Alex sighs.

"Max, she's right," she said. "Things have changed. ConDef's involved now. And…I can – I can take this on my own. Really."

"Great," I said. "Well, thank you for your input. Both of you. Maybe you should've suggested that before I got on that plane."

"Oh, but I did suggest that before you got on. Okay? I did not, and I mean did not force you to come with me. I wholeheartedly understand how much of your normal life you had left to manage with your girlfriend you knew since you were eight years old. Yes siree. Amen to that."

"I'm not gonna debate this anymore. I gotta make a call with Chloe."

I walk out of the bathroom to lie to Chloe more on the phone and leave Alex and Rachel to talk to themselves without me. I shut the door behind me, pull out my phone, dial Chloe, and make the call.

"Hey. Hey, it's me," I say to Chloe on the phone. "Nah, the reception's lousy."

Alex

July 5th, 2017

10:37 AM

Aurora Creek, Canada

Caulfield Residence

I watch Max shut the door behind us. I stare at Rachel's attractive face in a moment of silence as she stares down at floor before making eye contact with me again. I can overhear Max lying to her roommate on the phone from outside the bathroom. Then I come up with a remark to say to Rachel.

"Something on your mind, dear?" I ask.

"Look, I um," begins Rachel. "I realize it couldn't have been easy…getting shot in a sewer. And I'm sorry for what happened to you. But it's not her fault."

"I never said that it was. I know it couldn't have been easy getting drugged in a dark room by Mr. J either. My condolences."

"It took a long time for her to get out of this game."

"You see a gun to her head? She chose this. Okay, she's meant for this life."

"You really believe that?"

I sigh.

"Why are you here, Rachel?"

"Because somebody's gotta keep an eye out for her."

The bathroom door opens again and Max returns. Still on the phone with Chloe, but finishing her call.

"No, I'll just see you in a few more weeks?" Max asks on the phone. "Yeah, I will. Okay, I love you too. Bye."

Max close the door behind us and hangs up her cell. The two of us stare at her bewilderingly. Wonder what she said to Chloe on her call.

"Just told her that the job is gonna take a little longer than expected," she said. "Which is the truth. Alright? So come on, what do you say? Alex can still use our help."

"Just so we're square," said Rachel. "What exactly do you need from me and the others? What is it that you're willing for me to do?"

 **TEAMWORK – X/SQUARE/LM**

 **COVER FOR MAX – B/CIRCLE/RM**

"You know what we need," I said. "What we need from you and the others is teamwork. Max told me that you're her go-to girl for this thing. Considering what you did for her during the case of Arcadia Bay Versus Max Caulfield, if your even half the young lady she says you are, teamwork is our benefactor. Your response is?"

Rachel takes a second to sigh and to think. Then makes up her mind.

"Frank and I are on a four week leave until the finals premiere on the show we're on," she says. "Pompidou should do fine with the dog sitter for that long. If we can get the job done by then, I'm all in. Let's just see if the others are."

 **Note: So, I know it's been a week since my last post and hoped this would be posted earlier. But a misfortune most unkind befell me when my computer broke down and was forced to buy a new one at Best Buy to replace it. Luckily, I wasn't such a cursed lot or devoid of an understudy when they let me transfer my data to my new laptop to save all my work and continue this story. So now I'm saved and at last back to work! Needless to say, I have a habit of procrastinating my work a little to multitask on other things. Especially when after the holidays is the culprit.**

 **However more or less than subtle my lore in the secret history of time travel I've written in this chapter you believe to be, more power to you. Really needed to work as hard as I could to get the job done right by me as possible despite my habits. I hope it was worth the time and wait.**

 **Thank you for your patience and understanding. This is my first chapter of 2018! I should write more frequently with a new and improved HP Windows 10 touchscreen compatible computer now. Until next time, stay golden!**


	5. Debriefing

Chapter 5 Debriefing

Cayce

July 6th, 2017

8:45 AM

USCC Oregon

Chesapeake Bay

I was up early in the morning and out to the mess hall after a beauty sleep and a warm shower. I walk into the mess hall where everyone in their military shirts drink hot coffee and eat hot food for breakfast. I see a few of my team sitting down at a table. Sergeant Newblood and Logos, Lieutenant Mason and Lynch who just got out of med bay with a cast around her forehead on, and Private Wheeler with a knife in his hand telling a college story to the team.

I sit down on the table where everyone else is to hear Flint's story and socialize with the rest. Waiting on David to arrive as he was supposed to meet me at the mess hall.

"So he asks me for my watch and I'm thinking," began Flint. "What the hell do you want my watch for? You're the captain of the goddamn football team. But I turn around, and I feel this punch. And it's cold like ice."

Flint takes his knife and pokes a few holes between his fingers on the table to make his story more enthusiastic. Then cuts one of his fingers with a little scratch. He shakes his hand to shake off his pain of the small cut. It's what happens when you play with knifes. He offers Newblood the knife for a tension and refuses it.

"Besides, I rather keep my fingers on the trigger if I want my promotion," said Newblood.

Then Flint offers me his knife for the tension. At first, I give in. But then, Logos has a better idea than taking fingers off.

"Okay, let's make this more interesting," said Logos.

Logos pulls out his pendant from around his neck and holders the little chain by his fingers like a hypnotist. Then sets it down on the table.

"Saint Michael," he says. "Patron saint of soldiers. He's had my back since Bolivia. Wheeler, three times in ten seconds, and he's all yours."

"I don't know," replied Flint.

"Oh, you could always puss out."

"My money's on Wheeler," I said, handing his knife back over to him.

"Okay, I'm in," he replies, taking his knife back.

"I can't watch," said Lynch.

"Just time me when I tell you. Back to my story. Me and Drew from the University, we muscle our way into this poker game that the football team has going. We worked out a system where they can signal to me everybody's hands. You should've seen DN's face when I took that pot. You ready? That's what happens when you try to hustle a hustler. Now."

Flint takes his knife, lays down his hand on the table, pokes more holes between his fingers with his sharp edge, and nails it with fifteen pokes. Then he drops the knife scoring one for the private.

"You get flushed!" Flint shouted.

"No bloody way!" Newblood exclaimed.

"No freakin' way!" Lynch exclaimed.

"Get oughta here, tipo!" Logos hollered

Mason only gave Flint a delightful smile. So did I. Flint was rewarded Logos' pendant for doing fifteen pokes between the fingers. Three rounds in five equals in under ten seconds.

"Much obliged," said Flint, shaking hands with Logos.

"Meh, who needs a stupid pendant anyway," said Logos, shaking hands with Flint and then lending his pendant to him.

"Apparently, you did."

"I'm gonna get me something better. A real trophy, you'll see."

"Good luck with that."

At that moment, David was finally in the house. Approaching the table finding his seat to sit on.

"Commander Madsen," said Mason, seeing David walk behind me. "Glad you could join us."

I turn behind me to see my Commander dropping in to sit down with us.

"Morning, lieutenant," said David, sitting down. "Cayce."

"Morning, Commander," said Flint. "Just telling stories."

"What took you so long?" I ask David.

"I was on a call with my step-daughter," replied David. "Just reassuring my safety and her mother's as well. Chloe's doing alright in Portland while Max is away on her Vancouver job she's taking. How's that head, Lynch?"

"Doctor said I took a concussion and a little trauma," replied Lynch. "They'll be a scar on my forehead, but I'll be ready to fly everyone when you need me to. How's your wife? Where's Kristine?"

"Joyce is still on the refugee deck with Vanessa and Ryan. They're doing better. Kristine's at sick bay treating some wounded. Where's Cheryl?"

"Major Heard is at the hangar bay armoring the birds," said Mason. "She doesn't often eat much or sleep a lot after duty."

"Oh, bloody hell!" Newblood freaked out, looking at his watch. "Briefing's at o-nine hundred. We're gonna be late."

That is when everyone gets off the table to head down to debriefing for the briefing. We all hurry out of the mess hall as quick as we could. Flint stops me in David and I's tracks to show the Commander his new present from Logos.

"I got us covered, Cayce," said Flint. "Don't worry about it."

That is when Captain Cage meets our eyes out of nowhere. Stopping our feet at the exit.

"Briefing's about to start," said Cage. "What the hell you boys doin'?"

"With respect, Captain," I said. "We were just leaving for the briefing."

"Yes, Captain," said Flint. "We were just leaving. Service with a smile."

"Oh you think your special, huh?" Cage asked the rook. "ConDef is gonna eat your breakfast if you don't get your boots down to debriefing right now."

"No, not our breakfast, Captain," I said. "Our breakfast is secure."

"Watch your lip, Corporal. On me."

Cage walked off and Flint stalled us for one second before leaving the mess hall.

"Since I'm obviously on a lucky streak," said Flint. "Whatever happens, stay close."

I give Flint a five and handshake for his luck.

"We got this, Foley," said Flint.

* * *

David

July 6th, 2017

9:00 AM

USCC Oregon

Chesapeake Bay

"Admiral on deck!" I shout.

I walk with Admiral Penske into the debriefing room for the briefing. Everyone on my team and all the other Chrysalis seal teams make in time to gather around and have a seat for the briefing. Captain Harvest attends the briefing too and stands in the back corner of the room. I stand next to Penske behind the debriefing table. We speak when ready.

"Thank you, Commander Madsen," said Penske.

I project an image of General Alkaline of ConDef on the table for everyone to see. And for Penske to reintroduce the man for everyone. The image read: **Elias Alkaline – General of 'Continuum Defense Front' Extremist Forces**.

"Check out this beauty," said Penske. "General Elias Alkaline. Leader of Continuum's military. The head of the CDF frontier's extremist forces. Cocksucker plays hardball. Dominating our entire Chrysalis stronghold with an iron fist. They have much control over our territories as we do. This cat walks alone. General Alkaline is squeezing Chrysalis's balls, real tight. Commander."

"Two days ago," I begin. "Seattle was heavily oppressed by the most devastating quantum terrorism attack since the Triple 4 innocent in Portland three years ago. Intel indicates ConDef attacked Seattle to cripple our stronghold under an operation codenamed 'Ares'. We don't know why the terrorist operation was given the name, but name originates from Greek mythology. Ares the god of war. Some speculated Operation Ares was named after the personality of the mythical character that parallels to the war the front had started, others speculate it as a codenamed for a weapon other than an operation. A day after the attack, our NSA traced this CDF propaganda message."

I project the ConDef propaganda message on the table and play it. The video featured Alkaline announcing a speech to the whole Continuum army.

 _"_ _Today, the front embarks on a conquest,"_ begins Alkaline on the message. _"Here and now, we will eradicate the authority and influence of Chrysalis! Our world is just beginning. Theirs is dying! It is not enough to break free. We will break them! Their cities will burn along with the pages of their history. In the name of the herd. In the name of Ares. Eon aeternum."_

Next, I project a map of the globe to highlight the front's threat level. Suggested by our contacts in Chrysalis.

"We too have intel that ConDef is working with a secret societal cult known as the Herd of Whales," I continue. "Not much is known about the Herd of Whales, but our contacts say that their an undercover society protecting the secret history of time travel. If Continuum caves in and wipes out our last remaining strongholds, they'd be the largest terrorist force on the planet. Which is precisely what the herd wants. Setting up the superpowers to wipe each other out. Right now, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East are under threat. CDF's making their move. Time for Chrysalis to step up."

I project a comm link on the table to communicate with a Chrysalis commander from our British division that had been posted in Greece. The same territory where the small team in Greece were executed by Alkaline and his force. The commander was online and started talking.

 _"_ _Their initial strike caught us off guard and crippled our primary defenses,"_ said the Commander. _"We held them off, but our regiment was decimated. We cannot withstand another attack."_

"Was it CDF, Commander?" Penske asked.

 _"_ _Affirmative. We were hit by ground and air forces."_

The commander comes offline and I switch the projection back to the world map. Highlighting California in the U.S. region.

"While British division defends Europe," I continue. "Contacts suggest for us to move in on San Francisco. Where ConDef plots to attack next."

After highlighting San Francisco on the map, I zoom in to showcase our prime objective. The SF Spectre. A Chrysalis defense facility maintaining the stronghold in San Fran.

"SF Spectre is vital to securing San Fran's southern stronghold," I said. "For rapid response, our only option is to HALO in. The enemy's primary objective will be to smash the defense grid by targeting power generators and the satellite uplinks. If the grid goes down, there's nothing to stop them penetrating the main control room. If that happens, SF Spectre is down and it's open season in San Fran."

After highlight the enemy's objectives at SF Spectre, I project on the screen of ConDef's secondary objectives next. Which involves crippling our political system.

"The enemy's secondary objectives involves taking out on of our political leaders who support Chrysalis's defense committee," I continue.

I project the ID of our political senator in San Fran. His facial image and dossier.

"Senator James Amber," I said. "Former District Attorney and current senator in the congress of California. CDF plans to assassinate Senator Amber to sever Chrysalis's political support and the head Amber's party itself. If Amber dies, so does our administrative alliance."

I turn off the projection to wrap things up and finish my last sentences in the briefing.

"There will be civilian casualties," I said. "So we'll also need to extract and evacuate civvies to the defense facility where they can stay safe until extraction to the Oregon. Operation will begin seven-twelve at ten hundred. This briefing has adjourned. Dismissed."

 **Note: So yeah, the Ambers are gonna play a minimal role in this story. Don't judge me for those hate James from his role in Before the Storm. I only admire him as a character and not his actions. As much as I am disappointed in how Deck Nine handled his character, him and Rose felt too interesting of characters for me not to have in this story and I couldn't resist. The way I interpret their non-existence in the first game, is that they moved back to Cali giving up on their daughter's return. That is how they ended up in San Fran in my fiction.**

 **Thank you for your understanding. Until next time, stay golden.**


	6. Another Round

Chapter 6 Another Round

Max

July 6th, 2017

5:58 PM

Vancouver, Canada

Low Bar

Tonight was the night. The night we walk down to the Low Bar and make our exchange. The Eon Codex for a gran of fifteen thousand in Canadian dollars. A forgery of one that is. Although it was uneasy to convince Rachel and Frank to join Alex, Bryan, and I, they'd do anything to help their trusteed Max Caulfield. Even if it meant dropping their show they were on. Fernando and Kristen were already on board with this before we brought Frank and Rachel into this as well.

The plan was feisty, but simple. Alex and I go into the bar formally dressed, Fernando meets us at the bar posing as Alkaline's bodyguard, hand over Alkaline the fake codex for the money, walk out of the bar casually and track Alkaline to the Herd of Whales hideout. I had dressed in my jacket and gown as Alex dressed in her jacket and slacks for the occasion. Fernando should already be at the bar waiting for us with Alkaline. Rachel, Frank, and Kristen took Bryan's van for use to use as our getaway and resource vehicle. Bryan himself stayed behind back at his estate until our mission was complete.

I still felt like utter shit and ass for lying to Chloe twice on the phone in two days. My promise better had been worth breaking for Alex and Bryan's sake. Not just for Chloe, but also my parents who knew I was falsely taking the Vancouver job as well when Chloe told them. Whatever happens, even if the truth does come out to them, I'm doing this as a matter of family. Alex who is still family just as well as Chloe. I was still uncertain if I trust myself in this, but I trust my only cousin who has returned to me the way Chloe did four years ago. That I did.

The two of us walked down the sidewalk on Washington Street to the little cocktail bar our exchange was taking place. Alex puffed a smoke out of her cigarette she smoked on along the way and tossed it on the road unlit after her last puff. We walked past a tall man in a leather jacket hiding behind a corner on a doorstep to a building. Our eyes couldn't catch him since he was well hidden.

We at last make it to the low bar in time for the exchange. We step inside the bar to see it filled with men dressed in hoodies, caps, and jackets. Sitting at their table drinking beer, liquor, and cocktails. Low-lives from the looks of it. The fact we're making an exchange with the worst war criminal on Chrysalis's most wanted blacklist, my guts were tingling already. The closer we were to the man himself, the more uncomfortable I felt already having to be in this bar surrounded by goons likely hired by Alkaline. They must be here incase things go south when I knew it might.

The bartender behind the table saw us coming in. We were about to ask him where Alkaline was waiting until he tilted his head to our left showing us the way. He was waiting on the top floor. Where Fernando must be too.

We walk up the steps to the office where the exchange is underway while one of the men at one of the table gets off his seat to escort us from behind. Once we're up the steps into the office, we can see more men occupying the place. Playing pool on a pool table, throwing darts at a dart board, and playing poker at a table. No sign of Alkaline, but Fernando was in the house. Coming to us for inspection.

"Hands up," he says.

I put my hands up for him and he taps his hand around my shoulders and hip to inspect myself. I know he has to be still sticking to the plan, but Fernando always had a foreplay for women. Even back in our Cleveland days.

"Enjoying yourself, pal?" I ask.

"Oh yeah," said Fernando. "You're a real comedian."

Then Fernando steps over to Alex to inspect her next. Taping her shoulders and hip too.

"Nice warm welcome," said Alex.

"They're both clean," said Fernando.

Once the inspection was over with, the man himself showed himself in the flesh. Dressed in a suit and tie. Elias Alkaline. General of the front and most wanted man of Chrysalis. Standing before us as him and the two of us gather at the pool table. The men playing pool leave the table for us to make the exchange. I can feel myself pissing myself laying my eyes onto him

Deep breaths Caulfield. You've got this. Just keep you skirt clean and you – got – this.

"My apologies," said Alkaline. "One can't be too careful."

"I'm guessing your Alkaline?" Alex asked.

"Ms. Caulfield…and Ms. Caulfield."

"That's right," I said. "We're cousins. Related. Her and I."

"Do you have it?" Alkaline asked.

"Let's see the money first," demanded Alex.

"Mr. Rojas," said Alkaline.

Fernando takes the money case from the drinking counter and set it down on the pool table for Alkaline. Then open up the case for us to see the money. Fifteen thousand Canadian bills just like Bryan informed us. Honeypot.

"It's all there," said Alkaline. "Now let's see it."

I do as the man tells me and take the fake codex out of my pocket for him to see it. But it takes more than just showing it to him to finish this exchange.

"I'll need to authenticate it," said Alkaline.

"Of course," I said.

The man takes his magnifying scope to view the details when I hand it to him for authentication. Hopefully the replications aren't noticeable for him to suspect anything. It's replica bought online for corn's sake. Of course it couldn't be that noticeable.

"Resin," says Alkaline, authenticating the codex. "5th century. Arthurian design. Inscribed with King Arthur's motto. Well, it appears to be genuine."

"Well of course it's genuine," said Alex.

"If I may ask, how did you two come into this?"

"Does it matter?"

Alkaline chuckled.

"My client will be very pleased," he said.

"Hold on a minute," I said, observing one of the stash of bills from the case.

As I was beginning to authenticate the money for ourselves, something was suspecting something a little fishy with the prints. Something I would call more noticeable than our replica we had given to Alkaline.

"Alex, this is fake," I said.

I hand the bills over to Alex for her inspect for herself. She takes Alkaline scope for her to check with.

"I assure you, Ms. Caulfield-"

"Whoa, whoa," said Alex. "You are right. Talk about counterfeit. This is phony as a three dollar bill. What the hell are you trying to pull here?"

"Perhaps I should be asking you."

"This is bullshit," I said.

Alex tosses me back the fake money where I put it pack with all the other counterfeit in the case. I close the case shut, slide it back to Alkaline and tempt to swipe the codex back from him as he intervene holding his hand tight above mine. We've been officially ripped off.

"The deal's off, pal," I said.

Then he releases my hand so I can take to codex back for ourselves.

"And you," said Alex. "You can tell your client you blew it. C'mon, Max. Let's get the hell outta here."

"You're not really in a position to negotiate," said Alkaline. "Now give me the codex, take the case, and walk out of here like ladies."

The two of us walk away, but Fernando presses his hand against my cranial and stops us from walking.

"While you still can," continues Alkaline.

"Do as the man says, gringa," said Fernando.

Fernando pushes me back. It disgusts me to be in a state of a rip-off. The men in the room give us hostile looks and begin to get rowdy on us. Way to go, Caulfield. Not surprised this is going southwards? You shouldn't be. Nonetheless, I give Alkaline the hostile look he deserves.

"You're a thief!" I snap.

"Well now, that's ironic," said Alkaline.

 **X/SQUARE/LM – ATTACK THE GOONS**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – WALK AWAY**

Without thinking twice, I take one of the pool sticks and whack it towards Fernando. Hitting him against the head. Alex does the same swinging her pool stick and hitting it against the goon in the face next to her. Alkaline immediately walks out of the room with the case of counterfeit in his hand. Then a fight ensues. A fight we started. And now it begins.

Fernando takes his first strike at me. Swinging his fist to my face and hitting me in the cheek. Forcing me to falter against the pool table. Fernando wants more. We all knew this would be part of the plan now that it's went the opposite direction. It's a good think Rachel taught me a lesson or too about fighting hand to hand back after we saved Portland and defeated Crosby. Otherwise, I'm just a sitting duck in the middle of a bar fight.

"Come on!" Fernando growls.

"Is that the best you got?" I grunt.

I kick Fernando with my high heel pushing him against another goon. Fernando shoves off the goon as the goon himself prepares to fight. Then Fernando takes another pool stick to strike me with.

"This one's mine!" Fernando snaps.

I quickly duck from Fernando's swing with my best reflexes. Causing him to hit the goon in front of me in the forehead and knock him down. I instantly strike Fernando with my fist and make him pounce against the counter.

Alex is already struggling with a few thugs and start fighting back as well. She's learned a few fighting moves as well. I throw some punches at a thug next to the one Alex fights. I fight better than the fight I got into with Gus from five years back. The Cleveland Bully. When I throw enough strikes at him, I grasp my opponent by the head and slam against the poker table. Then Alex takes a chair, whacks it against her opponent, causing him to pounce over the table and break it into two.

And then another thug charges at Alex. Shoving her against the wall. That is when Fernando charges at me to make his next move.

"Why don't you have a go at me?!" Fernando snarled. "Come on!"

Fernando pushes me to the side. Forcing me to the thug that shoved Alex to the wall. Then the thug seizes me and restrains me by the arms. Fernando attacks Alex and punches her down a leather chair. As the I struggle against my restraining opponent, Fernando drops in to make it to two one. Odds the evens. I kick Fernando back away from me as he forced away. Then knock my opponent restraining me against my will to the counter. Hitting the glass on the back of his head. Releasing me from his restraint. Evening the odds.

I help Alex get off her seat she got knocked down on. Getting her back up on her feet. Ready to fight again. Fernando never had total respect for women, especially since he struck the both of us, but he was always the likeable and comical type back in my Seattle days. And then the fight continues.

"C'mon," I say. "No time to rest."

We fight off the rest of the goons and thugs. Throwing every punch and kick we had at them. We even knock Fernando off his feet and down on his knees with his hands touching the floor. Once we knock out our last goon, it's over for us.

"Come on, let's get outta here," said Alex.

But it wasn't over yet. Someone come barging through the door to the office. Someone more foreboding and formidable than our last opponents. Someone tall and muscular.

It was the same guy we walked passed on the here. The tall, bald, and muscular man in the jack at the sidewalk. Ready to face the music for himself. Now I appeared to be fighting Hulk Hogan. I was not flattered. I was frightened. Two women in their twenties against a WWE-esque muscle man in a leather jacket. So not cool.

"Hey there, big fella," I say nervously.

The big bruiser himself clutches his fingers togethers with a malicious grin. Then Alex attempts to be a hero by jumping on him and holding him by the neck. The muscle man stuggles.

"I got him!" Alex shouted. "Alright, quick! Hit him!"

Next move I make without hesitation is taking a stool by the counter, swing it at the muscle man, and hit him across the face with the shattering wood. Even with my improvisation, Fernando jumps in to adapt.

"Nope, bad idea, pendeja," he says, jumping in.

The tall thug shakes Alex off to allow Fernando to attack her again. What the brute does next is slam my head against the counter, slide my face across the counter through bottles and glasses, then tosses me through the office window like a plastic doll. I can feel the glass as I crash through the window shatter into shards onto my skin and clothes. Sending me flying back downstairs to the bar table.

And then, I land on a table from downstairs with three men sitting at. The table is broken in half when I land on my back. It ached a little as I fell through. Then the three stooges who were sitting down glanced down at me in the eye in confusion and frustration. The brutish thug from upstairs poked his head out the broken to order the other thugs to attack me.

"Get her!" He hollered.

The thugs pick me up to hit me across the face and fumble my feet to the bar table. Accidentally knocking over a man sitting at the counter drinking and spilling his drink. The drinker was angry. And so the next fight ensured for round two downstairs.

This time I was outnumbered. It was a dozen on one. Me against a dozen goons. Danger close, Caulfield. Where's your cousin when you need her? The move I could make was seizing the drinking attacking me, pin him against the counter, and knock him out with a beer bottle.

"Here, this one's on me," I say, knocking him out with the glass bottle.

I'm left to handle the remaining goons myself. Time for another round. With a few kicks and punches executed, everything I've learned from Rachel's combat training, I do just find a dozen to one. Never tell me the odds as Han Solo says. I counter a few strikes from my opponents and even kick one between the legs in combat. Before I was outmatched and outnumbered, I wasn't alone.

"Is this a private party or can I join in?" Alex asks, dropping in as my co-op partner.

"Be my guest," I reply.

With Alex now fighting by my side, my make like "Enter the Dragon" for some kung fu action, and kick more goonish ass. Since there's two of us now, we go as far as doing a few combat tricks. Even some Rachel taught me but Alex was never taught from her. Alex punches a thug or two for me to give him a finishing blow with my high heel of fury. Just like a beat 'em up game.

The next few stunts involve smashing some heads through tables, glass bottles and cups, gambling machines, the counter, and even as far as tossing some dickheads out the window. Not to mention slamming a dude in the head with the counter door on top of him to take out the garbage. We even beat down the bartender who enters the fight. We make out like Daniel Larusso and Mr. Miyagi to send him out with a pow and down on the floor. KO. We win.

"Argh, man," I say, catching my breath. "This got outta hand in a hurry."

Suddenly, the bruiser from upstairs charged out of nowhere and pushed me into the restroom. Pouncing me through the bathroom door and onto a urinal. And smell the piss residue through my nostrils. Disgusting.

"Oh man," I say without puking. "That is nasty."

"Come on," said the brute.

"Now, just…just gimme a second there, sir."

I get up off the stained urinal and stand my ground again. Catching my breath as I can. The bruiser certainly wants more when he cracks his fingers again. Then ready to fight.

I jab my fist against the muscle man's caudal and barely do a dent on him. Excellent strategy, Max. You've recklessly threw your fist at man two feet taller than you. Just like Rachel taught you. And now he's seizing you by your coat and lifting you upward against a lamp on the ceiling that almost takes your head off.

When the brutish thug has me pinned against the lamp, I tempt to break his grasp by swinging a few punches across his face, but to no avail. Instead, he tosses me across the filthy bathroom through a stall. Hitting my back against the brick wall. This fight was far from over. I'm still on my feet and in good combat condition.

"Okay, ready for more," I say, almost out of breath from the fight.

I balance myself between the stall door and come out to finish the fight. I throw a few jabs back at the big man that only harms him minimally. He blocks one of my throw and attempt to finish me with his fist wise the size mine is, but duck so he misses. Then I stomp my heel onto his knee that forces him down on it and allows me to slam his head against the urinals. Also allowing me to strike him a couple more time before shoving me to the side.

The brutal gangster stands his ground behind the sink. I come close enough for his throw a petty punch and duck under and to throw more punches of my own across the face. Then he eventually counters my punch, headbutts me across the face, and shove me back into the stall. Landing face into the toilet seat.

Just when I was about to be crushed by the man's hands wrapped into a hammer, I dodge out of the way. Making him only hit the toilet seat I pummeled on. The force was strong with this one, but I stronger with the force, one with the force, and force was with me.

I execute the final blow by taking the toilet tank cover and smashing it across the face of the seven foot goon. Shatter the lid into chunks of rustic stone. My last pale horse left to deal with had fallen on his knees and collapsed his head into the drain with seat cover flapping onto the real of his skull like a silver platter. A deep dish best served cold.

 _"_ _You okay in there?"_ Alex asked from outside. _"You hurt?"_

"Just my pride," I replied.

Catching my last breath from the fight, I make for the exit from the nasty bathroom I fought hardcore in. If only Rachel could see me now. I hear she'd make a good stunt double these days with her fighting charisma.

Before I left the toxic restroom, I see graffiti written on the wall and on the mirror above the sink. One drawn into glasses with a nose and mustache. Where have I seen that before? Probably a school bathroom. You get the gist of it.

I exit the bathroom feeling like my artery is about to explode like dynamite. All from a fight that not once Alex tempting to step in for me. Thanks for nothing cousin. No time to point fingers. We still had Alkaline to chase down. Alex stands in front of the exit waiting for me.

"They're gonna need a plunger," I said.

"Come on, let's go, Max," said Alex. "Here, we can get out the back."

Once my final breath is caught, Alex and I cut through the bar counter and into the kitchen to exit through the back door. Hopefully no one's there to cut us off. When we're in the kitchen, I feel safer already.

"Ready to go, cousin?" Alex asks.

"Yeah," I reply.

"Let's go."

Once we walk out the back door, I may have just jinxed ourselves when we do get cut off in the alley we're taken to. Into an ambush in front of Fernando and another goon. Fernando folded his arms and shook his head.

"Oops," he said.

"Aww, crap," I said.

We turn the other way and two more goons have us cornered.

"Ah, dammit," said Alex.

These bad boys were expecting us here as we should have anticipated. Bad move equals bad luck.

I turn around again to get struck in the face again by Fernando and tossed against the brick wall onto a stash of trash bags, newspapers, and crates. Alex tries to fight back, but gets knocked down against the wall and pile of garbage as well. I get up for a brief second to try and fight back against Fernando too, but to less avail.

"Come here, vamos," he says when we strangle one another.

Then head butts me back into the waste. It felt harder and hurt harder than when Nathan and Warren once butt heads with each other. I'm getting cuts and bruises the more fights I put up with.

"Typical sucia pendeja," said Fernando. "All talk."

As the two of us are curled in the trash on our backs, one of the goons tries to give me more of a beating, but Fernando mercifully halts him.

"Hey, ey, ey, ey," he says. "She's had enough. Haven't you, gringa?"

Suddenly, a car with it's headlights on begins to stroll into the alleyway. When the car pull up, the gangsters make way to give the space to park. I get up a little before Fernando orders me down.

"Don't," he says, pointing his finger. "Stay down."

The dark car turns it's headlights off and comes to a stop. When the engine is turned off, the driver steps out of his driver seat through his car door. That driver being Alkaline himself. Once he's out and shuts the car door behind him, a passenger in the back seat steps out as well. I could see the passenger unfolder an umbrella above her head as she step out and shuts the door behind her. This she is someone I had yet face her true colors.

The woman walks away from the car and steps closer to us. The sounds of her heels tapping the ground. At first, her face is unrecognizable with the umbrella above her brown hair. But when she's close enough for me to make it more recognizable, it all come down to me. The lady with the umbrella was dressed in a dark coat and skirt and was no other than my former high school principle from Cleveland. Through my freshman to junior year. This woman was Joanna Prescott.

"Hello, Alex," said Joanna.

The sister of Sean, sister in law of Caroline, aunt of Nathan and Kristine, and leader of the Herd of Whales stood before. In a soft, but shady attitude.

"Joan," said Alex.

"Still wallowing in the gutter with your sibling, I see," said Joanna. "Not very dignified for a woman of your age."

"Shoulda known you'd be behind this," I said.

The Prescott lady in black gave me a satisfying smirk after four long years of no see. This shall be a remarkable reunion.

"Max Caulfied," she say as her first word of our reunion. "The traveler of Arcadia Bay, at last. My brother, Sean, spoke highly of you during your trial. So did Mr. Jefferson. So did Mr. Crosby. So did my nephew, Nathan, before he passed on. They all told me strange tales of a girl who can manipulate time."

She unfolds her umbrella before she continues speaking to her former Cleveland student.

"Oh, careful now," I said. "Wouldn't want you to melt. Or maybe I can just rewind time right now to make sure this all doesn't go to shit. I hear your niece is in the Chrysalis Corps nowadays. Things really have gone to shit, haven't they?"

Joanna chuckle humorlessly.

"Same cocky little shit," she says. "After four long years, your still Max Caulfield. So fearless."

Of all the enemies of my enemies who were nothing more but wolves in sheep's clothing, there was still one card left to play with yet another former mentor turned villainous stereotype before Jefferson and Crosby. Just when I had thought I tied all loose ends with the rest, Joanna Prescott was left standing on the tip of the iceberg since I left Seattle for my home town.

Joanna herself unsheathed a knife attached to the handle of her umbrella for her mere intimidation. This is where she tempts to end all my fearlessness down the edge of a dagger.

"I wonder what your really afraid of," she says, holding the knife closer to me.

The Prescott lady nudges her knife on my forehead. Tempted to play mind games with me.

"Not bullets or blood or broken bones," she says. "No, you get off on all this, don't you?"

The woman then nudges her blade against my chin. It makes me nervous to believe she'll gut me in the throat cold-blooded just like that. Fortunately, she has the remorse not to.

"Cheating death," continues Joanna. "With your power. Or not."

Joanna reaches for my coat pocket. Revealing the codex hidden in it. Or at least the fake that is. Now in her hands.

"No," I said.

Joanna laughs sinisterly.

"Ms. Caulfield, I won't warm your precious cousin. I merely want what's mine!"

"Gimme that back!" I growl.

The dummy I am, Fernando take his pistol and shoots me in the stomach failing to reach back for the codex Joanna takes from me. I collapse to the ground dead on the pile of trash.

"Fernando!" Joanna snapped.

"Oh no," cried Alex. "Oh god, no! Max!"

"Shut up!" Fernando yelled.

Then he shoots Alex in the stomach as she collapses against the wall as well.

"You fool!" Joanna barked.

"Oh, you're fucking welcome, my lady," said Fernando.

"Joan, we have to get you out of here," said Alkaline.

The goons in the alley run off away from Fernando. Joanna and Alkaline step back into their car with the codex now in their hands. Unaware of the forgery it actually was. Alkaline starts the engine, turns the headlights back on, and begins to drive away.

"Ah, come on," said Fernando. "They were a right pair of putas!"

Joanna gives Fernando a disappointed look at him before stepping back in her car seat. She shuts her passenger door and Alkaline steps on it.

"Que?"

When the car starts driving on it's wheels, Fernando quickly stepped to the side before he was run over and Joanna's vehicle was away. Once the car left the alley, Fernando turned his back to us lying down with lead poising in our guts.

The two of us laid down bleeding. Blood spewing out of our livers with a red stain marking our bullet holes on our clothes. And then we were no more. We were dead on the ground and had went out with a bang to the gut. Or had we?


	7. The Cousins Caulfield

Chapter 7 The Cousins Caulfield

Max – (Age 12) POV

Alex – (Age 16)

September 19th, 2008

9:06 PM

Tacoma, Washington

Roland Estate

 **9 years earlier...**

Over the neighborhood and through the city to the other side of town we go. And here we are in Tacoma. The neighborhood city of Seattle. Like the twin cities of Minnesota. I ride on Alex's new bike to an old estate she said Uncle Bryan's things would be. It was some estate by how big and old it was. Outsides aren't my deception. Insides are.

Alex parks the bike next to the gate of the household as I ride on the little bumper side of her two-wheel motor vehicle. The two of us ogle at the place for second or two before we get off.

"Well, there it is," said Alex.

"Who the hell lives here, anyway?" I asked.

"I have no idea. But this is definitely the address. Been scoping the place out for the past few days. No one's home."

Alex drives the bike a little further down the perimeter of the estate to park somewhere not too obvious. She parks her bike a few meters away from the gate and off to the side of the brick fence where she turns her engine off and we hop off. The two of us climb over the brick wall and drop inside the household boundaries into the concrete of the front lawn.

It had taken us a whole hour to drive here and I was more and more worried how much more trouble I'd be in if Mom and Dad ever found out I sneak out this late at night. Just when I dealt with enough trouble striking Cecelia, the girl who swiped my journal, in the face cause of what she said about Chloe and William. My best friend I abandoned a few months ago and the father of my friend who died five months prior.

Hopefully, my parents and Uncle Bryan never know about what we're doing and hopefully, maybe I can write Chloe back soon or something. I know she was strong. Cause even if I'm not there, I'll never abandon her.

Alex takes point in this breaking and entering of ours in a heist to find Bryan's treasures. Not pirate treasures just to take my mind off of Chloe and I's former imaginations.

"And here we are," said Alex.

"Wowsers," I said. "This place is humongous. Where do we even start?"

"Eh, well, we start by finding a way in. And then we can take the grand tour. I've noticed you started using the word wowser. The word I taught you two years ago back at Tillamook. Safe assumption it's your new catchphrase now."

"Technically it's your catchphrase you taught me."

Where to begin when finding a way inside a house as big as Wayne Manor? For a start, we talk a walk up the steps of the paved concrete on the lawn and step on the grass for a closer lookout. For all we knew, there could be alarms and maybe even motion sensors armed from outside this old mansion. Maybe guard dogs or garden gnomes with laser eyes. Something out of the 007 series.

"You think this place has an alarm?" I asked.

"Let's try and find a way that doesn't involve breaking a window," replied Alex.

We walk back on the path off the grass and see some stairs that lead to the front door. Not a genius way in, but worth a try.

"I'm pretty sure the front door will be locked," said Alex.

The light to the front door was left on. Maybe someone is home after all. Whoever lives here, needs to check his or her mail since the little hatch on the door is clogged with envelops. Not touching it since that would be stealing.

I turn the knob twice and yep. It's locked. Idiot.

"See? What did I tell you?" Alex asked.

"Well, it was worth a try," I admit.

No, it wasn't, dummy. I feel even more incompetent than my wine tasting session with Chloe.

"Alright, let's look around back, huh?" Alex suggested.

We walk around the back of the house to find a rear infiltration in our superspy mission. We take a path used as a driveway that takes us to a garage building with a garage door shut. Something up on the roof of the garage door caught my cousin's eye.

"Hey, Max," she says. "Look, it's an open window."

"Oh yeah," I say.

"Here, follow me."

I knew the drill. I had to follow my older cousin up to the rooftop and let her climb first so she could pull me up since I'm shorter and smaller. That we do.

We needed to climb up using ledges of bricks and window holes to reach the open window. And then we're at the top next to the open window. Our ticket indoors. Whatever was in this house, it had better be worth the trouble of breaking into just to get it. The only thing worse than burglar robbing a home is doing it for no reason.

The two of us vault over the open window and break inside the house "Home Alone" style. When we're inside, we appeared to have entered a dark and dusty attic packed with treasure, statues, pottery, and artifacts the owner had in store here. Enough treasury to fill in the Smithsonian.

"Whoa," I say.

"Huh," says Alex.

"Spooky."

"Yeah. Well, here, I brought a spare."

Alex tosses me a spare flashlight for me to use in the dark of this house. The same kind of flashlight she carried around with on the way here. Now we both had light to light our expedition away. Time to find what we came here for and find it quick before anyone discovers us here. The question is, where to find it exactly?

"So, are we looking for any particular room?" I asked.

"Just keep an eye out for any books, journals, any king of research papers, you know?" Alex replied.

I look around in the attic with my flashlight lit and find a small white box that might have what we're looking for. I open it to find nothing but a canteen, pouches, and a sleeping bag. Nothing in here. I look around again to find another little white box to open. I open that one just find more pouches and a pair of dusty shoes. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"It's not going to be in this attic," said Alex. "Boxes are filled with old traveling and camping equipment."

I find an old letter in the attic sent to a Mr. Roland from a Masaki Sano. A letter writing this Roland guy about attending his presentation on a set of Tokugawa era armor from the coast of Okinawa. And about this Masaki's find on French jousting armor. Whoever this Roland guy was, he must be the owner of this house.

I put the letter down and find Alex opening a hatch out of the attic. Our entrance inside the real house we've broken into. And down through hatch we go. I land steadily on my feet down from the attic after Alex. We are now inside some small rooms of the house where more treasury junk stuffed in boxes are packed inside. This man has really spent a fortune and years of experience to collect his antiques.

"So how do we find them?" I ask.

"What, Dad's notebooks?" Alex questioned. "I mean, don't you remember? He always used that off-white leather binding."

"Yeah, I know, but it's such a large place. It's like finding a needle in a haystack."

With all the luck I could get, I find another cardboard white box stacked on more cardboard boxes and bring it down to open it up. When I open it, I see a journal inside. One with off-white leather binding just like Alex mentioned Uncle Bryan used.

"Here we go," I said. "White leather. Alex I think I found one."

"For real?" She asks.

I turn the journal to it's front cover that reads: **Relics of Tokugawa leyasu – Masaki Sano – Kyoto University**.

"No, it's not one of Uncle's," I said.

"You got the right idea though," said Alex. "Let's keep looking."

I walk into another room with more belongings stuffed and packed in boxes. One with a bed set, old nineteen-fifty's movie posters, a board tacked with old photos at a desk, and a rocking horse. I also find another letter to Ebert from Dad. The father of the person who was sent this letter. Ebert must be the first name of this Roland guy who owned this place.

The letter was being written about Ebert's safe travels to Peru with Masaki. Behind the letter was a paperclipped photo of two at the Manu River in Peru. Looked like it was taken years ago. Letter was probably written years ago too by the look of how old the paper was.

"Hey, these boxes remind you of anything?" Alex asked, almost jumping me.

"Reminds me of saying farewell to Chloe," I admitted.

"I'm sure it does."

I sighed.

"I remember Chloe saying, 'Please don't leave, Max! My dad is dead and you're all I have left. I thought what we had was special!' I miss her."

"I know you do. I'm sure she misses you too."

When we walked out of the room and down the hall, my eye caught attention a vase sitting around where more boxes were stacking. I inspect it as a familiarity from 5th grade.

"Hey Alex," I said. "Call me crazy, but, this looks like a Ming Dynasty vase."

"Max, who in the right mind would have a Ming Dynasty vase just sitting around like that?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, it's probably a knock-off of some kind."

"Yeah, course it is. Right?"

"Right."

I keep walking down the hall to open a door in front of me. The door is cracked open, but is stuck when I trying forcing it open.

"Agh, it won't budge," I whine.

"Here, let's do it together," said Alex. "You ready? Push."

The two of push the door open with three heaves and viola. The door is open. I point my flashlight beam at an Egyptian coffin with a pharaoh head. Wowsers.

"What the hell?" Alex says.

"Whoa," I say. "It's some sort of sarcophagus."

"Yeah, and look around. This whole place is filled with sarcophaguses. Or…sarcophagi."

We point our flashlights around the room to see the area packed with sarcophagi as Alex says for plural. I observe the Egyptian sarcophagus I first bumped into to analyze the writing on it. Touching the ancient coffin felt real. This was no replica of any kind.

"Alex, this is real," I said.

"What is this place," she thought. "Well, let's go find out."

I take a look at a stone made coffin with a triangular cover and Roman sigils. Glad I never skipped all of Social Studies in Elementary. I wouldn't have known that otherwise.

"Huh, this one's Roman. Third, maybe fourth century."

I look at another sarcophagus with a statue of a couple laying with one another. Wearing togas over their shoulders and crown around their hair. Both who smiled at each other like a happy couple.

"Hmmm," I said.

"You recognize that one?" Alex asked.

"Uh…I…I've seen something like it before."

"Reclining figures. It's Etruscan."

"Ah, that's right."

"Yeah, husband and wife. Buried together. It's kind of dark…in an awesome sort of way."

"Yeah."

"This place is like a damn museum."

"Think they've got a dinosaur wing?"

"Wouldn't surprise me."

I could see a little jar with a pharaoh head on top. An organ jar. Cool.

I walk down some steps with Alex to room that appears to be laundry room of some kind. With clothes hung on a ling of hangers for drying. And washers and dryers if anyone guessed.

I find another box in the room that I open to find another journal with off-white leather binding. The moment of truth awaits me. I flip the journal over that reveals a cover title written that reads: **Ancient Persepolis – Amir Abbasi – University of Tehran**. Nada.

"I do believe this is an ancient Mesopotamian wash/dryer combo," said Alex.

I chuckled. Alex laughed.

"I was the funny one," she admits. "Always was."

I step inside another room that appears to be a wine cellar of some kind. Great. Wine tasting session flashback alert. Before William died, it was always "No wine tasting session while I'm gone" this and that before he left the house. One of the last words Chloe and I heard from him before signing his death warrant over a ride to the grocery store Joyce needed from him. That makes things even more scarring.

"Hmm, I could really use some wine about now," said Alex.

"I don't need a repeat of my wine tasting with Chloe," I said.

"You and Chloe had a wine tasting session?"

"You don't want to know."

"Oh, I see now. You two spilt some wine-"

"Alex! Please."

"Okay, okay. Didn't mean to bring up a touchy subject."

Before we left the wine cellar, Alex found a hat in the room to put on for amusement. The hat she puts on is a safari pith hat for explorers and archeologist.

"Hey, Max, check me out," says Alex, putting the hat on. "Now who am I, huh? Dr. Livingston, c'mon."

"Nice," I compliment.

We had our giggle and left the wine cellar. Alex still being the funny one.

The next room we enter is the kitchen. Alex wore her safari hat around the rest of the way in here. I see a card on the kitchen counter with my flashlight. I pick it up to see it as an invite to an adventurer's lodge for an annual holiday gala on December 21st, 2008 from five to ten PM with an open bar and a buffet dinner. Alex might love this.

There was a little note written on the back by someone named Charles that read: **It's been a while. I do hope you'll join us this year! – Charles**.

I walk into a study room of some sort adjoining the kitchen to find more interesting junk. If not Bryan's journal. All I find interesting is a book titled: **MY JOURNEY TO LHASA**. The one I read last year in 7th grand World History.

"I just read this one last year in class," I said.

"Oh, yeah? Is it any good?" Alex asked.

"It's kind of incredible. It's about the first western woman to visit Lhasa. That's a place you should go some day."

The next thing I look at in the room is a globe on a stand displayed on the floor. With a mixer to spin it around. I give it a little spin around the mixer and see it spin really fast.

"So where are we going?" Alex asked.

"Huh?" I thought.

"Well, if you could go anywhere in the world. Where would you pick?"

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere."

"Okay, well…here we go."

I give the globe another spin. When it slows down, I touch my finger on it to point the place I'd want to go.

"India," I say.

"Yeah, we'll visit the Taj Mahal," said Alex.

I give it another spin. Round and round she goes. The touch the globe with my finger again to show another destination.

"Soviet Union," I say. "Let's go to Moscow."

"Yeah, might be a tad difficult to get in," said Alex. "Always wanted to see the red square though."

"Let's try again."

I spin the globe again for yet another destination to pick from. Then touch the globe yet again for yet another destination choose from.

"France," I say. "Sure would be cool to see the Eiffel Tower. Right Alex?"

"Hey," says Alex. "Hey, don't look at me. It's not my fault you weren't born yet. It's not like I remember much of it anyways. Sorry Chloe couldn't make it there either."

"No thanks to the accident."

"And…it wasn't that cool for me anyways."

"Uh huh. Okay…one last spin."

I spin the globe one last time for one last destination to select from. And the final destination is…no movie pun intended…

"Brazil," I say.

"Hey, now you're talking," said Alex. "All kinds of undiscovered places in the rain forest."

"And all kinds of undiscovered tribes and poison darts."

"Yeah…that too."

"I've seen Indiana Jones too, ya know. Never got to see the latest one that came out though."

"Don't. I was disappointed in what I saw and you'd be too. The writing gets cheesy in the second half and Shia LaBeouf sucks as Indy's deadbeat son. But it did make over a billion at the box office. Just for how overhyped this movie was as I was."

"I did see the first three though. They were amazing."

"Yes, they were. You just didn't see them as many times as I have. Don't envy me."

My next interesting treasure I see is a piece of Roman armor. A chest piece and a helmet on display. I take the helmet off the display and put it on myself. It feels bulky on my head from wearing it and it barely fits. I still look cute in it though. But goofier than my pirate eyepatch I wore when playing pirates with Chloe.

"Hey, check it out," I said.

"Hail, Caesar!" Alex said, laughing.

Now the two of us are wearing getup hats. Alex in her safari hat and I in my Roman helmet. Wowser, Bowser. I didn't feel comfortable wearing it anyway though. I was sweating in it. So I put it back.

"It's hot in there," I said, sweating.

One other item of interest before leaving the room I find is a small statue with weird elephant ears and breast feeding a baby child. Not some average day elephant in the room, but rather a fertility totem.

"Fertility totems," I said.

"Hey, aren't you a little young to be looking at that stuff?" Alex asked.

"Aren't you a little old to be making that joke?"

"Eh, never too old."

I walk into the next room with my flashlight still lit. What I see is a dining table fining silverware, candelabrums, and wooden seats with leather cochins. The man of the house must be rich. This must be the dining room. A snazzy one at that.

"Wowser," I said. "This table's a big the one's in the school cafeteria."

"I bet the food here was better," said Alex.

I chuckle.

"Wouldn't take much."

"Damn, they must've thrown some great parties in here."

"Judging by the artifacts, they certainly had enough money for it."

"Yeah. Looks like it's been a long time since the last one though."

What I see next is another armor set piece that looked like Viking armor at first, but from what I recollect from Social Studies, it was Persian. The helmet on display featured horns, but it still wasn't Viking. It was Persian one-hundred percent. Nevertheless, I put the helmet on to wear as my getup hat to compensate for Alex's. And it felt more comfortable and less heavier to wear the Roman helmet that made me into Julius Caesar.

"Hey, check out this crazy demon helmet," I said.

"That a Viking helmet?" Alex asked.

"Come on, you know Viking helmets don't have horns. It's Persian."

"Oh. My bad."

"Can you imagine being the one to actually uncover these things?"

"Heh, must be something, right?"

Regardless if the helmet fit me or not, I put it back on display. We still had a journal to find and we had to find it fast.

Speaking of journals, another box was spotted lying on the floor. I open it to not uncover Bryan's journal, but a book based on T.E. Lawrence. Lawrence of Arabia.

"Woah, Lawrence of Arabia," I say.

"Always wanted to see that flick," said Alex. "Never got around to it though. Too addicted to Indy J."

At last, we're in the living room. Where I see the front door that was locked from outside and all the stuffed mail piled in front of the door and on the welcome mat. The mail that made it through the hatch and not the mail stuck in it. I could see some of the envelops I saw outside the house inside the house still clogging the hatch. Maybe we could unlock the front door from in here when get out journal and make our break out of here.

There was yet even more expensive treasure collected on display in the living room as well. Such as French jousting armor standing up on display. It was huge. From my height, the armor was taller than a Yeti.

"Jousting armor," I said. "Looks French."

This must've been the armor mentioned in the letter from Masaki. The ones he found and sold to the owner of this property. I walk up to the front door to check on the lock to see if we could get out of the house from here, but my flashlight was giving away my position beaming through the windows.

"Hey, maybe don't go waving your flashlight around the windows too much?" Alex recommended.

I point my flashlight at the mail on the ground. Still standing in front of the door ignoring my cousin's advice.

"Or you could just not listen to me," she said.

I listen to what my cousins tells me and step away from the door and windows. I explore the living room more with my cousin and find an "Adventure Life" magazine with a cover of an man standing in front of a Peruvian statue. With a tagline printed: **Lost Treasures of Xi'an**. The man on the cover was the same one from the picture clipped on the letter from earlier. Must be the man named Ebert.

I put the magazine down to find a dragon gong next to me. There was no stick lying around to ring it. So I gave it a little knuckle with my fist to ring it. It rings with loud dong that hums across the room.

"A dragon gong," I said. "Huh. Looks like it's from southeast Asia."

"Nice," said Alex.

I walk inside an adjoining room from the living room for more finds to explore. I could see a model of a 17th century water ship with big sails and label titled: **FANCY**. I also look at some ancient scuba gear on a shelf above some cabinets. A scuba helmet, compass, sundial, everything I saw here.

"Look at these," I said. "Compass, sundial…"

"Just imagine being lost at sea," said Alex. "And those instruments are the only thing standing between death and salvation."

"Yeah, it's crazy."

I find another letter in the room from Masaki about the Adventure Life issue I saw in the living room. With a graduation photo attached to the back of an old Asian man in a wheelchair and his son wearing his gown and cap with a degree in his hand. This Ebert man or whatever the owner of this house name is must be close friends with this Masaki dude.

The small adjoining room featured a teapot and teacups on a golden plater sitting a table between a couch a fireplace. The whole room appeared to be the other end of this house facing the backyard since there were windows facing grass outside on the lawn. I find another item of interesting that's rather something Chloe and I always enjoyed reading more than Treasure Island. The books title on the cover was: **A General HISTORY of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious PYRATES**. By Captain Charles Johns.

"Hey, they've got my favorite book here," I said.

"Really? Which one?" Alex asked.

"A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates. Chloe and I used to read the hell of out this. More than Treasure Island."

Alex scoffed.

"More like a generally made-up history. Even the author's name is a fake."

"Fake or not, this looks like a first edition."

"Are you serious? This place, man. Wowser."

"Wanna take it with us?"

"Nah, it'll just disintegrate in my backpack."

"You could sell it. Then you wouldn't need to take that job."

"Well tonight, let's just stick with what already belongs to us. Besides, wouldn't you want to keep that book for youself?"

"I already have my copy of a modern edition at home. So does Chloe."

"I see."

After leaving behind my reminder of Captain Bluebeard and Long Silver Max, we walk back into the living continuing our search for my Uncle's journal. Back in the living room, there were more books on shelves collected by the man of the house himself. On one stack of books, there was an old postcard dated back to the nineteen thirties. A Northern Transfer card to Ebert from Amelia Earhart. This was what the letter read:

 **JUNE 8** **TH** **, 1937**

 **MY DEAREST E.**

 **YOUR JOURNEY TO EL MIRADOR SOUNDS FANTASTIC. DID THE MAYANS LEAVE ANYTHING BEHIND FOR YOU? LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE IN PERSON UPON MY RETURN.**

 **YOURS,**

 **A. EARHART**

"Oh wowsers," I said. "They knew Amelia Earhart."

"No kidding," said Alex. "Man, they knew all the cool people."

When I put the postcard down, someone also had a retro record player in store in the living room too. There was already a record disc on the player and I put the needle on the disc to start playing. It was playing some classical orchestral tunes. A safe bet this is an old man's home.

"Heh, nice," said Alex. "Liven up the place."

I scoff.

"Since when do you like classical music?" I asked.

"'Scuse me, I am a woman of many taste."

I find a burnt letter sitting on the fireplace in the room. The first half was burnt away and second was still readable. Reading the words of what was left of the letter appeared to be a letter about the Egyptian sarcophagus we saw earlier. One from Amenhotep's tomb that belonged in a museum. From Peter K. G.R. Requisitions.

"Is that a letter?" Alex asked.

"What's left of it," I replied. "Someone wanted to buy their stuff. Guess they said no."

"Not like they needed the money."

"I wouldn't want to part with this stuff either."

Explains why the letter was burnt to begin with. I really wasn't feeling the classical song and dance, so I shut the music off. Besides, it was attracting to much attention if someone were still.

"What? You didn't like that?" Alex asked.

I don't answer. Instead, I find a snazzy piece of samurai armor displayed like the rest of the armor I've seen in this household. The helmet worth trying on?

"Samurai!" I exclaim, putting on the samurai helmet.

"You recognize the crest?" Alex asked.

"Uh, hollyhock leaves are um…let's see…don't tell me, don't tell me…uh, Tokugawa clan!"

"Yeah, right you are."

As usual, I look like a goofball in this hefty samurai helmet. Just like the Roman and Persian helmets. So I put it back on the display for my own curtesy.

"Okay, I don't think Dad's journals are anywhere in here," said Alex. "Let's uh…let's check upstairs."

And so we leave the living room and go up the stairs to check upstairs. What lies ahead is up above. And what's up above shall be our journal. There were three doors to choose from. One of them was locked when Alex tried opening one.

"Dad's stuff might be in one of these rooms," said Alex. "We gotta find another way in."

I try opening another door and it was locked as well. I bet every door was locked without a key to unlock them. That is when Alex had an idea to get through the door. She went back down the steps and pointed her flashlight above something down the middle of the stairs.

"Hey, the air vent," pointed Alex. "Up there!"

I Alex's beam light the vent hatch far up on the ceiling.

"Oh yeah," I said. "That could get us into the room below it."

"Not us. You."

"What?"

"I – I can't fit in there. Can you handle it?"

"You kidding me? 'Can I handle it?'"

"Alright, let's see what you got then."

We go back down the stairs and into the living to find a way to reach the vent. Somehow, it would take something to climb up the wall and shimmy across to crawl through that ventilation door. Neither of us were Spider-Man, so it was up to our improvisation to do so. It took Alex's improvisation to do so when she found something we could use.

"Here, check this out," said Alex. "I think I found a way up. C'mere."

What Alex found was a book shelf I could use to climb up and boost myself up with to reach the edge of the walls and shimmy across to the vent. I help my cousin push the shelf as hard as I could with her muscles and mine.

Once we we've pushed it far enough, something drops out of the shelves. It was a camera that had fallen on the floor. Not just any camera though. A polaroid. I pick it up to show Alex.

"It's a Polaroid," I said.

"Huh, lemme see," said Alex. "I think it still works. I know you're into photography. Want a picture?"

"Sure, let me try."

Alex hands over the camera for me to snap a picture of us. I hold up the camera as high as I could, but couldn't reach high enough towards Alex's head. So she does it for me. She holds the camera up high and we smile when Alex snaps the picture. The picture comes out of the slot and Alex lets me keep it. My first selfie with Alex.

"Don't lose it," she says, handing the picture over.

I shake it a little to unblur the picture out. I shook it until the picture was clear. When it was clear, I could see the two of us smiling like Chloe and I's last photo together with William. It was even cuter to see Alex still wearing her safari hat on. Now back to work.

When we get back to it, Alex holds the shelf steady for me to climb up on. I climb on top just to reach a bar holding window curtains. Next, I climb off the bar to a ledge on the wall and get on my feet so I could shimmy across. Alex warns me to be careful not to fall and not look down. Even though people look down when they're told not to.

I do my best not to look down as I hang onto another ledge near the ceiling and shimmy with my fingers griping the edge as tight as they could. They were statues set on the lower ledge, so I did my hardest to avoid my feet and crotch from tipping them over and collapsing to the floor to shatter. Then I had to shimmy over a gap to the next ledge using a battle club set on display with other collectable weapons. When I'm on the next ledge around the corner of the wall, I climb over a ship wheel up to the ledge were the vent door is located.

At last, I'm at the ventilation door. I open the hatch, step inside the dark vents, use my flashlight to light across, and start crawling through.

"I'll see you on the other side," said Alex from below.

"Okay," I responded. "It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic."

Never crawled through dirty air ducts before. Let alone imagine doing so in real life like in the movies. Yet here I am making it happen. I crawl through the vents with my light on until I find another hatch that lets me out. I find another hatch that lets me out and I use my feet to kick it down. The hatch is kicked down to the floor. Allowing me to slide down safely out of the vents and drop to my hand and feet.

Wherever room I've entered in, it was bedroom of some sort. One with a hospital bed installed and set up as an ICU. The owner must be sick or something? A disease of some kind? Didn't matter.

"Okay, I'm in!" I call out from the room.

 _Can you get the door open?"_ Alex asked from the hall upstairs.

"Uh, hold on."

I try looking around the room for a key. I look at table only to find a Weston's Pharmacy subscription pill can of Codine painkillers. The whole table was gathered with medication cans. It was pointless to look here.

I look at another table to find the key, but only another letter to Ebert again. It was from a man named Edmund. Something about the relationship breaking up between cause of a false rekindle over money and never showing up to the friend's father's funeral. Telling him to never contact him or his family again. How sad.

I check the side table next to the ICU bed and find the key. Can't hide from me forever. As William's final words were said in the house during his last hour taking his own car keys for his last ride to the grocery store. Curse you flashbacks. I would check for journals, but no boxes in the room that would hold them anyhow.

Without another thought about a dead man's keys, I walk to the bedroom door and unlock the door with the key I grabbed. The door lets me out as I open it back to the hall upstairs with the two other locked door. Where Alex is waiting.

"So…anything?" She asked.

"Didn't see any journals," I answer.

"Alright, well, we still got the other locked door. So, c'mon."

There was another locked door besides the one Alex mentioned, but it was blocked by boxes packed with more junk. So we walk to the door next door to finally get what we came here for. Hoping we didn't break inside for nothing if it wasn't here.

I unlock the door to the last room we enter and walk into another study. More junk, cabinets, and shelves as always. But this time, there were more books and journals than there were trinkets and treasures. Journals galore. Time to see what we can find.

I look at a desk the find yet another small little journal with whit binding, but read: **Tsar Peter the Great and the Amber Room – Koyla Yurkov – Saint Petersburg State University**. Negative. I check another white box with another white journal, but reads: **Viking Treasures of Vinland – Stephan Tremblay – University of Toronto**. Nada.

There was one last box left to check for our last hope under another desk. I pull it out to open it and what I see inside is a journal label: **Bryan C.** My uncle's journal. Eureka!

"Alex," I said. "I think I found it."

"You did? Let me see," she said.

She walks over to check if I'm right. When she's it, I'm right as I'll ever be. We smile with our prize.

"This is it!" Alex exclaimed.

We open the journal to see the pages of a few entry's book marked by my uncle. One of the entries with a drawing of a Map of Rome, Italy, a picture of Ezekiel Blackwell and a letter from Ezekiel Blackwell written on ancient paper that must be a century or two old. A letter about the riches of paradise in a day in the life of.

I turn the page of the next entry with a drawing of King Arthur, Ezra Prescott, and the Ark of Genesis. The handwriting written on the pages were something about a conquest to win the Eternity War and balance all time and space in the world for both historical figures. My uncle must've spent a lot time illustrating and writing his historical research. I wonder if Alex knew anything about Bryan's research?

"I've never seen this one before," I said.

"Yeah, me neither," said Alex. "But that – Yeah, no, that's definitely Dad's handwriting."

Suddenly, the light flickers on in the room. I jump.

"Put up your hands," said an angry voice from behind.

We turn around to see an old man with grizzly white hair, glasses, and brown leather jacket holding a revolver in his hands. I panic and shriek behind my cousin. No one's ever aimed a gun at me before and now we were in more trouble than we've been in getting caught by the owner who must be the old man aiming his gun at us.

"Slowly," he says.

I close the journal on the desk and hide it behind my back. The man looked furious.

"Hey, hey, hey," says Alex. "There's no need for that."

"What is she holding?" The old man questions, noticing what I've hidden.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Alex evades. "You keep your gun on me."

"Give me my journal," demands the old man as he coughed.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry, Max."

Alex takes the journal from me and she slowly approaches the old man to hand over the journal. He takes the journal from Alex. Still holding the gun. Then walks over to a leather chair in study with his gun trained on us. We keep our hands up as we were told. And then he sits down to keep an eye on us.

"So what now?" Alex asks.

"Now…we wait…for the police," he answers coughing.

Well shoot, Max. This is what you get for going willingly with your sixteen-year-old cousin who lures you into a trap like this breaking into an old man's home. And now the police are coming. I'm suspect this old man to be Ebert Roland. The man named in the letters I saw earlier.

"Yeah, you don't want to have to deal with that headache," said Alex.

Alex attempts to walk quietly with me hidden behind him, but the man tells her to stop where we are. Let's face it, Alex. This old man has us cornered and we're not going anywhere until a cop car comes to take us in. If only we knew how to answer this to my parents and Uncle Bryan.

"I mean," says Alex. "The hassle of ruining two kids' lives. That's-"

The man clicks his gun that prompts Alex and I to stop completely. One more step, and he just my might pull the trigger on a twelve-year-old girl and her cousin. This is where we severely face the consequence of our actions.

"I really don't want to shoot you," said the old man.

"Come on, man," said Alex. "It was no harm, no foul, alright?"

"We all must face the consequences of our actions, hmm?"

"Then at least let her go. I brought her down here so she could see my dad's stuff. That's it. She had nothing to do with this."

"What?"

"I'm telling you that this is all on me."

"No. Your father's…stuff?"

"Yeah, that – that journal. It was my dad's. And her uncle's."

The old man in the chair lowered his gun and put on a face of relief.

"You're Bryan Caulfield's girls," he admitted.

"Uh…hi," said Alex awkwardly.

"My god. I could've shot you."

The old man coughs.

"Yeah, you still might. So uh, do you mind?"

The old man put his gun down on the side table with Bryan's journal. By the look of his face, he looked ill. Might explain the ICU supply in the bedroom. Then he gets out a cigar from his little case and lights it up with a liter to start smoking it. Whatever his illness was, I doubted smoking was going to help in his condition. Then again, could explain the sickness.

I approach the old man feeling more safe and untroubled than when we thought we were in trouble. If he hadn't known Uncle Bryan, we would still be dead meat before the boys in blue come. I must have questions for this strange companion I've haven't heard about or from my uncle himself.

"You knew my uncle?" I asked him.

"He worked for me," he replied. "As I'm sure you've noticed, I'm a collector of sorts."

"That's sort of an understatement," said Alex.

"He was also my protégé during his college days. I took him on expeditions since before you two were born."

"So…uncle was like your translator?" I ask.

The old man puffs his cigar and gives me an uncertain frown. There were things he knew about Bryan I didn't.

"Your uncle…was the most brilliant student and historian I have ever met."

He flicks the ashes out of his cigar with his ashtray and holds the journal in his hands to open a page or two.

"We've accomplished so much together. Until I retired. Of all his discoveries, this could be his crowning achievement. 'No sacrifice, no victory'."

"That's King Arthur's motto," said Alex. "Used to have dinner conversations about it. I had a weird relationship with my Dad."

"Did he ever tell you about the great journey? Regarding King Arthur's conquest?"

"What about it?" I asked.

"Legend tells, King Arthur and his knights of Loomis set forth on a pathway to the Ark of Genesis. A machine that could bring balance to the time space continuum. And piece to the paradoxes that intertwined. Learning that old king's secrets is just one more adventure I have to let go. I guess there's a lot I have to let go."

The old man takes another puff at his cigar and we stand there idly. Old people talk too much.

"Forgive me," he says. "Ramblings of an old man."

The old man himself closes the journal and lends the book to me.

"Here," he said.

I'm flattered at first, but also skeptical.

"It is as much yours as it is mine," the old man rephrases.

Then I politely take it. As a gift from this old stranger and a gift from Bryan.

"Who knows?" The old man thought. "Perhaps one day you'll be able to finish what he started."

"I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves," I said. "I'm Max. This is Alex. You?"

"Ebert. Ebert Roland. It's been an honor to meet you, Max, Alex."

"You too, Mr. Roland."

"Please, call me Ebert."

"Ebert."

At that moment, the police had arrived at the house. Sirens were heard from less than a mile away, and blue and red light strobed through the windows. Alex rushes to the window to peak outside and confirm the police presence. Let's hope we're not still in trouble for breaking into an unexpected friend's home.

"Ah, yeah, so, huh," says Alex, panting. "We're off the hook, right?"

"I'll handle the police," said Ebert.

Ebert put his second cigar down an deashed it on the ashtray next to him. Before he politely let us out.

"You found your way in," he said. "I trust you can see yourself out, hmm?"

"Yeah, we can," said Alex.

Ebert needed help getting off his chair, so I lend him a hand myself. Alex grabs out stuff from her backpack, takes off her safari hat, and help Ebert up off his chair. I make the journal his with me on the way out. He thanks me before we walk out. Then I apologize about the mess and it was time to bail out. But before we left the room, something was happening to the Ebert.

He stopped to balance himself pressing his hand on his chest as he gasped for air.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

Before Ebert answers, he collapses to the floor just like that. The old man had dropped dead and we panicked. I cup my hand over my face and Alex shrieks in shock. I've never seen a person just die on me like that.

"Holy shit," shrieked Alex. "No, no, no, no, no, no."

Alex checks Ebert's body for a pulse. It was no use. No heartbeat was felt or heard. His heart had given out. Ebert just dropped to the floor over a heart attack or stroke. The poor old man was dead for sure.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Alex screamed.

"Alex?"

A knock on the front door was heard. The police were at Ebert's doorstep.

 _Sir, it's the police,"_ a cop said outside the door. _"You alright?"_

"Ah, crap," said Alex.

We knew Ebert could no longer help us off the hook with him dead now. Alex takes my hand to make run out of the house.

"Wait, we have to do something," I said.

"Yeah, we need to get the hell outta here," said Alex.

"Can't just leave her here."

"There's nothing we can do for her. Alright, we have to run. If the cops find us here, then there's-"

More knocking was heard. The cop called out for Ebert again. Time was running short.

"Max! We gotta go. Right now."

There was no other choice than to run out of here while we still can. Leaving Ebert to die peacefully on his study floor. His eyes shut and his hand folded on his chest.

We look downstairs at the front door with the windows strobing with police lights. No going out that way. The cops probably have the whole house surrounded now.

"Oh shit," panicked Alex. "Window! Window, c'mon!"

I race to window with Alex as she opens it quickly and hops out first. When it's my turn climb out, I hear the door kicked open downstairs. The police have broken in. Now it was a raid.

"Okay, you, check upstairs," said a cop. "You, come with me."

"Copy that."

I quickly mantle myself over the window after Alex and start shimmying across another ledge with her. She could definitely climb faster than me with more experience than me. I tell her to wait up as I keep up. I could see a cop car with its siren lights flashing around where I climb. They begin to check the fountain in the yard when I continue follow Alex out of here.

We climb over the roof as Alex helps me upward. Then we have to climb down a chimney to a lower roof to get down to ground and make our desperate escape. More cop cars roll in the driveway for backup. They were now patrolling the gardens. If we could just get out of here undetected and back to the bike, we may have a chance walking out of here uncuffed.

Once we climb down to the driveway off the lower roof, a slip a little and fall down on my back. That's when Alex and I are caught by two police officers with flashlights beaming on us. Now we're caught. Now we better run.

"You there! Don't move!" A cop orders.

"Run for it!" Alex shouts.

Alex helps me up and we run as fast as we could away from the officers. We run through the grass to try and shake the law off, but cops were everywhere. Two more officer tried to outflank us in the grass with the flashlights on us. They order us to freeze and to get down on the ground with our hand on our heads. We knew better than to just keep runner and hopefully they don't fire warning shots or tazzers.

The cops cut us off again back on the concrete path and are forced to maneuver around them. We run up some steps to outflank the cops and hope over the railing as soon as they run off our path. Alex had to push one cop away who almost pinned her to the ground to arrest her when we were running to ground again. I hope I'm not on a cop show for this. Or on the news. Headline Reads: The Caulfield Cousins Break Into Roland Estate.

We run back up to the fountain where the front door was at to outrun more cops. When I ran down more steps and Alex made it down first, a cop cuts me off and almost has me. I hop over the railing to make evasive maneuvers. When we got to the lower courtyard where the fountain was built, another police car hollered it's sirens and almost ran over almost Alex. I'll piss my pants if just one cop puts a finger on me.

We keep running back to where we first came inside. We were almost there. Can't stop now. We were now at one of the front gate near the guest house having outrun all the officers of the law behind us. We used a dumpster to boost ourselves over the brick fence wall and climb over. Alex helps me up as usual. I can hear voices from the police saying we were getting away and to go back around to the main gate.

The two of us hopped over and were now officially off the Roland property. The bike was just before our eyes now.

"On the bike, now!" Alex shouts. "C'mon!"

Alex starts her and tells me to hold on tight as I sit back on the bumper seat. I still had the journal with me. Mission isn't a total bust.

And finally, Alex hits the gas and we drive away like a hot rod. Away from the cops, away from Ebert's house, away from Tacoma, and back to Seattle. Mission accomplished, Super Max. Barely.

* * *

Alex

September 19th, 2008

9:39 PM

Seattle, Washington

West Seattle Bridge

I drive the bike down to the docks of the Industrial District of Seattle under the West Seattle Bridge. Twenty clicks away from Max's home in Beacon Hill. I park the bike near the harbor where a nice view of the bridge across the western side of Seattle was seen. I turn off the engine knowing we've lost the heat.

"I'd say we're clear," I said. "How about we catch our breath for a second. Huh?"

We get off the bike gazing the luminous buildings across the river of western Seattle. Max put a long face after what we had done tonight. I only have myself to blame for getting her into more trouble than she already was as well as myself into it. She had already been grounded for what she did to the girl she punched at school and I just may be ground for sneaking out with her too. Now her parents may extend her grounding period to another week or two. Maybe even a month. How long I may be ground for dragging us both into this.

I walk up to her to comfort her for what this was all worth no matter how much trouble we were going to be in. Not so sure if we would be in trouble for taking what was ours, but rather breaking into to what wasn't just to get it.

"Some night, huh?" I ask.

"Some night," said Max. "That old man. Ebert."

"Hey…hey, you listen to me. That wasn't our fault back there. I mean that man he – he was umm…sick. I mean, it's okay to feel bad. But there was nothing we could do about it."

Max was still down. By now the police might have figured out who we are and must be calling our parents about what occurred.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Max asked. "If I go home, Mom and Dad might've fount out. So might've Uncle Bryan."

"Then they do," I said.

"Sure."

"But let's look on the bright side. Our troubles are just beginning. And they don't end when we're ungrounded."

"Yeah? And how long 'til the cops call them."

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that our great journey begins. 'The' great journey begins…with us."

"What do you mean?"

"What if we could finish what Dad started? Max, back at that mansion, we knew just as much about that stuff as that poor gentleman."

I unstrap my backpack to put it down on the asphalt and take out my Dad's journal. To show Max what I mean. And my little birthday present I decide to give to her for her thirteenth birthday since she won't get to celebrate it this year. And was in two days.

"Happy Birthday, Max," I say, handing over her new camera. "I took this from the estate before we ran out. It's yours now."

Max holds her new camera I took from Ebert's home. The same one we took our selfie with back at the mansion.

"Wowser, Alex," said Max, holding her new camera. "Thanks. Always wanted a Polaroid camera. My parents could never afford one. Thank you."

Now back to topic with Dad's journal. Still holding it in my hands.

"Here," I said. "I always felt that we were destined for something great. But until tonight, I didn't know what that meant. But this, Dad's unfinished work. This our chance to restart our lives. With a brand new ambition."

"What are you talking about?" Max thought.

"I know some guys. Pretty good at historical research, too. Now as for our adventure that awaits us, Dad believed that King Arthur could find the Ark of Genesis. Who's to say he couldn't?"

Max's face was now turning into hope. I know I've got her going.

"You're serious, aren't you?" She asked.

"Max, we were meant for this," I said. "And I promise, you and me, together? We're gonna go far and take on the world. Just like you wanted to do with Chloe. Just like you wanted to do with me. So what do you say, Maxine Caulfield? As the cousins Caulfield."

I hold my hand to Max offering it to her. She looks me in the eye with hopefulness. And her hopefulness turns into a smile. And her smile turns into a handshake. Making our promise to fulfill the great journey before us. Together. As cousins. Like sisters.

And so we did.


	8. Run To Ground

Chapter 8 Run To Ground

Max

July 6th, 2017

6:18 PM

Vancouver, Canada

Low Bar Alley

 **Present day…**

The car rolls out of the alley. Almost running over Fernando as he shifts to side as Joanna's car passes. The black automobile makes a shape turn to the right. Exiting the alleyway as Fernando overlooks the vehicle in front of him to make sure it's out of the picture. And so it is.

There were still bullets in our abdomens. Or at least blood stains to fabricate the wounds. Knowing Fernando only fired blanks at us. Just like we planned. My Seattle amigo gives us the word when the car is gone.

"And…they're gone," said Fernando. "Alright, amigos?"

Fernando crouches down to check on us. We open our eyes to give him the "not dead" sign. Alex slaps my shoulder and we all have a good smile and laugh for how much phase one of the plan.

"Oh god," said Alex, getting off the trash pile. "Thought you were gonna put a silencer on that thing?"

"Alex, you've got no sense of drama," said Fernando.

"Right."

Fernando gives my cousin a hand and pulls her off her crotch.

"All that racket is gonna bring the cops any minute," said Alex. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Alex give me her hand and pulls me off my crotch.

"You coulda pulled a couple of those punches, Fernando," I said.

"What do ya mean?" He asked. "I hardly touched you."

"You headbutted me."

"Alright, alright, I got a little swept up in the moment."

"Yeah."

"You were the one who said make it look realistic."

"Better stay on his good side," said Alex.

Fernando pulled out his radio to signal the other for the getaway van.

"Alright, bright eyes," he said on the radio. "Look sharp. They're coming your way. Don't lose 'em."

I take out the real Eon Codex out of my other coat pocket. The one Joanna had in her hands was the fake. The one I have in mine was the real codex she never took from my pocket when having her umbrella knife on me. And she fell for it.

"Told you they'd take the bait," I said.

"How long do you reckon before they realize theirs is a fake?" Fernando asked.

"Who cares? We finally flushed 'em out."

"Now we just follow 'em back to their hole," said Alex.

"You do realize you make everything sound dirty."

"I do?"

We can here sirens of Vancouver police cars closing in on the alley and bar next door. Blue and red light strobing a few blocks down. Our cue to bail.

"Let's get moving," said Fernando.

"Come on, hurry it up, Max," said Alex.

"Shit, the filth."

"This way."

Alex takes us down to a tight gap through the buildings in the alley. One we can shimmy through to escape the sound of the police. Fernando didn't seem to confident in the idea with his fear of small spaces. Alex and I were the first to go as Fernando stood back for a second or too until he could relinquish his fear.

By the time Alex and I are through, Fernando still hasn't gone. I turn around to see him still on the other end.

"Come on, Fernando," I said. "What's the hold up?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he said. "Alright, alright."

He begins to slowly shimmy through his fear. Jittering every step across.

"It'll all be over soon," he whales. "It'll all be over soon. It'll all be over soon. That's it. That's it. Oh. Oh, that wasn't too bad."

Fernando makes it through and is now sticking with us again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked.

"Nothing, I'm fine," he replied.

"You're not still afraid of little spaces, are you?" Alex asked.

"No I'm not. Yes I am."

"Let's just get a move on."

When cutting across the alley to meet with the others at the van, we were blocked by a barbwire gate that was locked tight. Had to find another way around. There was and electric box attached to pipes we could use climb and get around the fence. I never thought I'd have to be doing this much climbing again, but it was the way to go.

"Here, we can get around this way," I said.

"Yeah, yeah, right," said Fernando. "Or we could use a little muscle."

Fernando had a better idea with his muscles. Before I started climbing, Fernando gave the gate a few kicks with his shoe until the gate was broke open. Gracias, Macho Libre. There's a thought.

It was too bad we could kick down the next obstruction in our path since it was a big fence blocking our exit to the street. The wall was to high. Good thing there was a big yellow electrical generator with wheel we could use to push it forward and use it as our stepping block to boost us up over the fence. I make myself useful by pushing it as hard as I could. It was heavy as hell just trying to push the big yellow box for our boost.

"Put your back into it, gringa," said Fernando. "We don't got all freakin' night."

"Yeah, thanks for the help," I said sternly, putting my back into the box with wheels.

Once the box was pushed against the fence, we moved our lazy asses up the generator box, leap over the fence, and got our feet into the empty street. The coast looked clear as far as I could see. Rachel, Frank, and Kristen should be here in any minute now with the van. The three of us walked down the deserted road awaiting their arrival.

We saw Bryan's little white getaway van parked on the curb. That's where we walk to.

"You should be more careful with your head, y'know," said Fernando. "It's-"

I give him a little shove with my hand on the arm comically. The only person that need a cautious head Mario Lopez who headbutts women. I'm shaking my head off.

We see Rachel in her red leather jacket step out of the front passenger seat, Frank in his cargo jacker and cap stepping out of the driver seat, and Kristen stepping out of the sliding door of the van with her laptop. The whole crew is on deck.

"Evening, m'ladies," said Rachel.

"Hiya, Rach," I said.

"Hey, hey, hey," said Frank. "It's the three amigos."

"Thank you for joining us, Max, Alex, Fernando," said Kristen.

"Hola, cariño," said Fernando.

"A cap, Frank?" Alex questioned. "Really?"

"Don't say I look like an old man," said Frank. "Or you've got no sense of drama."

"That's what Fernando said."

"Looks like hell spit you two back out," said Rachel, looking at the blood spots on our abdomens.

"Ah, it was a thing of beauty, Rachel," said Alex.

"Went off without a hitch," said Fernando.

"You're unusually quiet," said Rachel, turning her head to me. "What's up your bum?"

"Oh, well," I said. "Fernando seemed to enjoy himself a little bit too much for my taste."

"Here we go," said Fernando.

"My ears are still ringing."

"Oh por el amor de Dios," said Fernando.

"Helps if you have something in between," said Rachel. "Looks like I missed out on some fun."

"Si, you did actually," said Fernando. "It was very, very, ah – cathartic."

"Ha, ha, that's funny," I said.

"You have any trouble?" Alex asked.

"Nah. Easy peasy," replied Rachel.

"And you're sure they didn't see you trailing 'em?" I asked.

"Not a chance."

"So, which door is Scary Poppins hiding behind?" Fernando asked.

"Behind that one there," said Rachel, pointing it out. "The green one. They drove in ages ago and it's been dark ever since."

"You think they're still in there?" I asked.

Rachel marched over to the back doors of the van with Frank and Kristen and opened them to hand over our equipment. Flashlights, silenced pistols, and earphones to talk on the radio. She takes them out of the compartment we stored them in gives three of each to me, Alex, Fernando, and takes some for herself.

Only the four of us would be going while Kristen stays in the van running the coms and walking us through and Frank tending to the driving when we make our escape. Had it planned before this started.

"Well, we haven't taken our eyes off it," said Rachel, answering my question. "And no one's gone in or out."

"You think those are necessary?" Frank asked. "It's like they're expecting us."

"Don't underestimate these pendejos," said Fernando. "They're not fucking about."

"Hey, we're just going to sneak in and we sneak out," I said. "Just like that."

"Yeah, fair enough. But any trouble, you shoot first and ask questions later, alright?"

"Alright, you all know the plan. Alex, Rachel, Fernando, and I sneak and infiltrate their secret hideout. Kristen, I know it's been a while since our last job like this together, but just be sure to keep us posted and those coms running."

"You know it," said Kristen.

"Frank, you get the Mystery Machine to our escape route as soon as we give you the green light. You know what to do."

"I'll be back here," said Frank. "Driving the van."

Rachel shut the back doors in front of her, leaving Frank and Kristen inside, and off the four of us went. Walking down the street in an entourage like a heist thriller "Mission Impossible" style in our sharp clothing. I can que "God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash right about now. And our mission is a go.

 _"_ _Testing, testing,"_ said Kristen on com. _"Kristen to Max, Alex, Fernando, and Rachel. One, two, three, four. Is this on? Can you hear me loud and clear?"_

"Crystal babe," said Fernando. "Never clearer."

 _"_ _Excellent. Just to give you my first sitrep on the mission. If Rachel's calculations are correct, Joanna and Alkaline should have just parked through that green garage just dead ahead to the right. I'll guide you through and keep you posted once you're in there. Be careful."_

"I always am, Kristen," said Alex. "Or we always are. Whatever."

 _"_ _Just be sure you Nancy Drews make it outta there in one piece,"_ said Frank on com. _"I'm talking to you, Rachel. I don't want to tell the Senator of California his daughter went missing or died twice."_

"Not funny," said Rachel.

"Man, I was sorely tempted to just pick up that briefcase back there and walk," said Alex. "Not like Dad and I need the money anyways."

"Yeah, you got a louse poker face, amigo," said Fernando.

"Hey, trust me," I said. "That's nothing compared to what we're onto."

"Yeah, well, at my age a bird in the hand, you know?"

"Eww," said Rachel.

"Didn't I tell ya?" I asked.

"Oh, please," said Alex. "Look, I just hope I'm right about this."

We're approaching the green garage on the far right of the street towards the dead end. It was quiet. Too quiet.

"Seems pretty quiet," said Alex.

"You thing they're still in there?" I asked.

"Well, we're not gonna just barge in the front door and find out," said Fernando.

"Well, we can't afford to waste time standing here," said Alex.

"I'll find a way in and check it out," I said. "You three stay here."

"Got it," said Fernando.

I poke around outside the garage building for a second or two and use my time vision to see through the walls and check for another way in. It was strange to find tire tracks inside, but no car parked. But I believed there was a window open I could use to get inside and help the other three in. It would take some climbing up to do however. Luckily, Alex found something I could climb with.

"Looks like that'd hold your weight," said Alex.

I shut off my time vision back to my normal vision and start climbing on the rusted yellow pipe Alex found. When I climb up on the pipe higher and higher up the garage building, the pipe breaks loose and I almost loose my grip. Until I leap onto the pipe intact off the loose pipe before it broke loose completely and fell downward. Fernando calls me from back down making sure I was okay. I tell him I was.

I continue climbing and shimmying across the yellow pipes until I make it on the rooftop. When on the roof, I could get a bird's eye view of every building in Vancouver. Too bad I couldn't see Alex's house from up here. Cause it's all the way down in Aurora Creek where she lives. No time for sightseeing. Have a hideout to infiltrate.

I grab onto another pipe to hang onto and shimmy across to a ledge where I can swing across a sing and reach the window I spotted with my special vision. Then I climb up to the window and mantle through it to get inside and place my feet on a platform high up in the building. I look down from the platform in the garage building. Still seeing nothing on the garage floor below.

"Empty?" I thought. "Wait a minute, where did it go?"

I find a way down from the platform using more pipes and broken edges on the wall until I safely land on the garage floor. Where the hell did they go? This doesn't make any sense.

Whatever sense this makes, there wasn't time for me to figure this out on my own. I had to let the others in. I walk to the garage door and lift it up a bit. It was too heavy for me lift on my own. I call for the other three on the other side to give me a hand. Fernando helps me out with the door and we lift it open together. And then we're all in.

When we're all in, we turn on our flashlights to scan the place. Before anyone asks about the car, I first.

"Does anybody see a car?" I asked. "Cause I don't see a car."

"I don't understand," said Rachel.

"Dammit," said Alex.

Fernando shuts the garage door behind us and starts questioning about the car next.

"You're sure this is the right one?" He asked.

"Yes. The green door," said Rachel. "I'm sure."

"Max, we are losing time here," said Alex. "That damn briefcase is looking better and better."

"Alright, come on," I said. "They didn't just vanish into thin air, right? There's gotta be an explanation. Just spread out and look around. Kristen, this is Max. Do you copy."

 _"_ _I read ya,"_ said Kristen. _"What's up?"_

"We're in the garage, but it doesn't look like a car is in here and I know it didn't just evaporate like magic. Is there a secret door or passage or something you can find here? Anything we're missing?"

 _"_ _Let's see. Hmm, I'm seeing some kind of underground network linked to the garage building your in, but I can't map it out on my satellite. With any luck, there could be something there your not seeing. That's best advisory I can offer."_

"Thanks, Kristen. You were always resourceful as I remembered. Max out"

"They were here alright," said Alex. "I can still smell the exhaust."

While searching for clues, Fernando is the first to find the first clue by the tire tracks marked on the floor.

"Hey, over here," he tells me. "Look at this."

I come over to Fernando to where the tracks end and bend down on my knee to investigate.

"Tire tracks," I said. "Still we from the rain. Looks like the car turned here."

I walk over the where the car turned to see the tracks ending at that point. Then I step onto something that moves under my heel. It felt as if tile on the floor just slid down when I stepped on it. I step on it a few more times to confirm I'm right.

"Hey, check this out," I said to everyone.

Everyone gathers around to see what I stepped on. I step on the tile so they could see what I mean.

"Hmmm, some kind of mechanism," said Rachel.

"Yeah, maybe," I said.

I then look more observantly at my surroundings surrounding the tile. There were three other tiles on the floor. One behind the one I stepped on, another next to it, and another on the corner parallel to it. Now I was onto something.

"Four tires, four points of contact," I said. "Alex, stand right there. You two, back there and there."

The three of them walk to their tiles and stand their ground. I imagine these tiles would fit nicely with car tires. Whatever the car used to make itself non-visible from the garage, this mechanism had to be it. When everyone's on their tile, this is what we do next.

"Alright, everybody on three," I said. "Ready? One, two, three."

The four of us take a small leap over our tiles and land on them at the same time. Nothing happens.

"And?" Alex asked.

"Well, this has got to be it," I said.

Then my flashlight accidentally shine on something on the brick wall opens another mechanism in the wall. I keep my beam on the wall to where it opened the small solar hatch inside. We were getting closer to solving this.

"Wait…wait, it's the light," I said. "Alex, aim your beam at the wall. Like headlights."

The hatch certainly looked compatible to car light. Consider the tiles compatible with car tires. Alex shines her beam at the hall to open another hatch and now we've come to our resolve. The walls in front of us open a big hole revealing the secret passage Kristen figured would be.

"Well abra-goddamn-cadabra," said Alex.

"Umm, Max," said Rachel. "Just who are we dealing with here?"

"There's only one way to find out," I said. "My guess is the secret lair of the Herd of Whales. Rachel, we'll track the car. You head back to the van with Frank and Kristen."

"We'll try and stay in radio contact," said Fernando. "We'll let you know when we get through to the other side, alright?"

"Yeah, wherever the hell that is," said Alex.

"Just be ready for anything," I said. "Might be a quick exit."

"No doubt," said Rachel.

"Never thought she'd be the best driver in the business, you know," said Fernando.

"Not as much as the best actress, model, and TV personality in the business, you know," I said. "The driver is her boyfriend your talking about."

"So I've heard."

Rachel leaves the garage room to head back to the van while we enter the secret passage tracking down the car. The passage doors close behind us sealing us inside and now must walk through some sort of underground shaft to track our target.

"Kristen, Rachel's heading back to the van," said Alex on the radio. "It'll just be the three of us tracking down the car underground. The radio might go patching here soon. So just try and keep in radio contact while you can."

 _"_ _Got it,"_ said Kristen. _"We'll pick you up at the evac point when ready."_

"And Frank, be careful with my Dad's van. I don't want a dent on her when you come pick us up."

 _"_ _I've been driving RVs all my life,"_ said Frank. _"I'll do fine. At least Rachel can be safe and sound."_

"Thanks, Frank. Alex out."

We begin to walk down the shaft lit with lamps on the supports. It felt like walking into a mine shaft of some sort. This secret passage could be taking us someplace as far as the sewer systems or subway transits. Maybe even the service tunnels.

"Well, I think we can agree this is more than a bit weird," said Fernando.

"Who the fuck drives their car underground?" Alex asked.

"Oh, well, let me think. Someone who doesn't want to be followed. You know, it's just a guess."

"Smartass."

"It looks like they bored straight into the old service tunnels," I said.

And I was right. The shaft took us directly in the service tunnels. Too bad their was a locked gate in our path making a dead end in the tunnel.

"Ballas, it's a dead end," said Fernando.

"Well, then we'll just have to find a way around," said Alex.

The only way around the locked gate was through a small door with a lock on it. I pull out my silenced pistol out of my pocket and shoot the lock open.

The door takes us into a narrow tunnel and towards another tight space through pipes and wiring. Fernando's gonna hate this.

"We should be able to squeeze through here," I said. "I think."

"Lead on, Macduff," said Alex.

"Por el armor de Dios," said Fernando.

"Que?"

"Lay on. It's 'Lay on, Macduff'."

We start shimmying through the small space. I lay on like Macduff, whoever that is, and take point ahead of the other two through the space. The longer we have to shimmy through, the longer I put pressure on Fernando.

"Can we hurry it along por favor, gringa?" Fernando asked.

"You alright back there?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, yeah, you know. Just not keen on the old tight spaces. That's all."

"Just keep moving."

Then we're through the space and back into a wider area.

"Oh gracias a Dios for that," said Fernando.

"Who the hell is Macduff?" I asked.

"Is there no bottom to your ignorance?"

Then we hear voices in the tunnels and see men in suits holding guns and flashlights in hand. We hide behind the corners between a corridor and use our silenced pistols to shoot them in the head and kill them out of our sight and mind. Just like that, the drop to the floor with bullet holes marked on their heads when we do.

"Nice one, Lola," said Fernando after his kill.

"Lola?" I thought after my kill. "You still calling me that?"

"If you rather me call you gringa or Max, I'm cool."

"Nah, that's okay. I know that used to be your thing back in Seattle."

We get out of cover passed the dead guards and enter a catwalk the crosses the tunnel we just took before the dead end. We're still on track with this network.

"Okay, tunnel's right below us," I said. "At least we're still on the right path."

Past the catwalk away from the tunnel, we stumble into a narrow air hole with a massive fan at the bottom. Another obstacle turned dead end? There were more pipes to use for climbing. So we leap onto those and begin climbing down on them to get to bottom where the fan was. The pipes were slippery, but sturdy.

I use one pipe as a sliding pole to slide down to the fan with air vent over it to land on as a platform. Alex and Fernando follow me down and we proceed to where we need to go.

When walking down another corridor, more flashlights were seen. Meaning more guards were about. If there were guards patrolling the tunnels, we must be close.

We take cover behind something and wait 'till they're close enough to strike them stealthily. The flashlights of the guards begin to shine in our direction and Alex was ready to take care of them when I was while Fernando stayed hidden. When the guards cross between, I seize one guard by the shoulder and knock him out against the wall as Alex seizes the other and does the same. Clear.

Past the knocked out guards, there was a ladder to be used to get up another air hole. But it was too high to reach. So I climbed up more pipes to reach the ladder and kick it down for the other two to us. Then the three of climb up the air hole through another vent and up on higher level of the service system.

As if we couldn't get any high up underground, there was some sort of gate that opened with two levers and can only be pulled climbing up some edges between some air ducts sticking. Twenty feet up the edges and between the ducts. This secret society must get all their hide out ideas from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for a place as complex. as the service tunnels. Can't complain now. Gotta do more climbing to get the job done.

Alex and I start climbing up to the levers and pull them both at once to open the gate. The gate flaps down when the levers are flipped down opening the gate itself. Fernando climbs along as well as and the three of us climb onto the gate flapped as a platform as it opens.

Past the gate, we walk across another catwalk over the tunnels. Only narrower and higher than the last.

"There's the tunnel again," said Fernando.

"That's too far to drop," said Alex. "We'll break our damn necks."

Without mindlessly dropping down from the catwalk, we cross it to find ourselves walking into some strange catacombs in the tunnels. Now we run to ground deeper and deeper just to track down one simple black car taking us to the herd. Exactly how far down is the ninth circle of hell?

"Where the hell are we headed now?" Alex asked. "What in the world?"

"Fernando, who the hell are we dealing with?" I asked.

"I don't know, Lola," replied Fernando. "But whoever they are, they are seriously weird."


	9. The Herd of Whales

Chapter 9 The Herd of Whales

Alex

July 6th, 2017

6:41 PM

Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver Service System

Fernando and I follow my cousin through the spooky catacombs and into an unknown place in the service tunnels. It appeared to be built with iron work of some kind. Iron work that looked more ancient than the third crusade era. Arthurian perhaps.

"Look at the ironwork," said Max.

"It's gotta be Arthurian," said Fernando. "Maybe older."

"Man, all this stuff's been rusting for a century," I said.

We walk to an old elevator in the room with the ancient iron work and Max believes we can get through there. The three of us help each other lift the elevator gate door open, but was jammed shut. No way we're moving that.

Max spotted a counterweight high up above the elevator on the cables. It looked stuck. One of us was going to have to climb up there to dislodge it. Guess who? Max, that's who.

She climbs up a ladder and more edges on the wall while Fernando and I wait down here. Then shimmies across some cable tubes linked on the wall to the reach the counterweight linked to them. Look at my little cousin go climbing like a big girl. Just like the good old days when climbing up the mountain in the Tillamook woods and the Roland estate when we were kids. As well as the Burke Museum job we did five years back before Max left to return to Arcadia Bay.

Max was almost there. Once she was there, she held onto the counterweight using her hands and feet and used her foot to kick over a loose cable jamming the weight. That oughta work.

The two of us down here begin to lift the elevator upward with our muscles as Max held onto the counterweight as it lowered. Fernando held onto the elevator for me so I could squat through first as I did. I hold it up for him next as he squats through next. When the two of us were through, Max was to meet us on the other side.

Max had to hop off the counterweight and onto some ceiling beams above the next room we enter into. The next room was an ancient corridor built using the same architecture we analyzed in the last room. The corridor was dark with electric lambs lighting the hall. We were close. We were getting somewhere. Somewhere strange in the neighbor with no ghostbusters to answer the call.

"What the hell is this place?" Max thought, balancing herself on the beams above us.

Up on the beams, Max spotted more guards on patrol with flashlights in their fingers. My cousin hissed down on us to warn us to get down behind something. We had seen the guards coming to us too from down here as their patrol light gave them away.

Luckily, thanks to Max's good eye and good aim, she was able to do away with guards via her silenced pistol. Shooting them both with headshots and giving them a painless death from above. We thank her for it.

As soon as the guards' bodies hit the floor, Max hopped over another ledge on the wall to shimmy across and recon from twenty feet above. Then she spots Joanna's car parked between some old trains while Fernando and I walk through the corridor. Target sighted. But no sign of Joanna herself. Nor her subordinate Alkaline.

"Hey, there's Joanna's car," said Max.

"Alright," said Fernando. "From here on, no more guns."

In order for Max to drop from the ledge back to the floor safely, she would need to swing and shimmy across some chandeliers hung across the ceiling and leap down on more edges on the wall. Once she does that, Fernando and I are detected by a guard in a suit with his gun and flashlight aimed at us.

"Hands up," the guard orders us.

Max stays hidden behind something once her feet are back on the floor. The guards keeps his gun and light on us while we have our hand help up.

"Oh, hola, amigo," said Fernando. "We must've taken a wrong turn somewhere."

"Yeah, is this TransLink?" I asked coyly.

"Don't move," said the guard.

"Hey, man," I said. "You got us all wrong. We're from Montreal."

Suddenly, the guard is strangled by the neck with Max's arms choking him and giving him the sleeper hold. Then set him down on the floor when he's out cold.

"Oh, well done, Lola," said Fernando.

"Atta girl," I said.

After Max's ninjutsu skills, we continue through the halls and approach Joanna's car between the derelict trains. If the car was parked here, they must've gotten out. And since it was parked here, their hideout had to be dead ahead.

"What the fuck kind of place is this?" I asked.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Fernando.

"Some sort of train station or something."

"Yeah, yeah, but it's gotta be almost two hundred years old."

"Jesus, just when you think things can't get any weirder."

When we were almost through the hall/abandoned train station, the exit was a whole in the wall to more catacombs. Two more guards were approaching. We hid quickly behind the corners to take them out quietly.

The guards walk past us and Max and I seize them to knock them out by tossing them against the wall. Two down, zero up.

"Nicely done, girls," I said.

"Come on," said Max. "They must've gone through here."

"And it gets weirder."

However weirder it can possibly get for a nineteen-sixties Batman villains hideout for the Herd of Whales, we walk through the small cavern and into another room with Arthurian architecture and stonework. This time, a room that was now taking us somewhere of significance.

"Whoa, this stonework," said Fernando.

"Looks like Loomis," said Max. "Sixteenth century."

There was more than sixteenth century architecture in the room. There were also weapons from that century on display such as swords and spears. Even torches nailed on the walls used for lighting the place with fire. Loomis culture does indeed run in the herd. I know this had to be the place at last. This had to be it.

We walk up some stairs quietly to and upper floor. Taking us someplace to an old library of some kind. Books never sold as best sellers lying on shelves and scrolls sitting around in display too. The Herd of Whales as here. I sensed it with my nostrils and footsteps. Closer and closer. We were here. In the lair of the herd.

And so we were.

Max

July 6th, 2017

6:53 PM

Vancouver, Canada

Herd of Whales Secret Lair

"Hey, over here," I said.

The three of us approach a balcony in front of the library that overlooks the lower floor of the secret lair we've entered that undeniably belonged to the Herd of Whales. On the balcony we overlooked from, we could see a table with masks laid down in rows and project light set on the table too.

The floor below us was also featured with strange book shelves, paintings, and treasures. And a fireplace with leather seats to sit down in front as well as a television set next to it was well. Wherever we were, this was definitely the herd's secret lair. No questions asked.

"No, no, no," said Fernando. "Seriously, who are these people?"

"I'm not interested in your excuses," said a female voice from downstairs. Clearly Joanna Prescott's voice. Alex shushed us and the three of us hid behind the railing while watching everyone enter the room.

Joanna walked in the room with Alkaline and her bodyguards in suits to the table in the center. The Prescott woman sounded displeased with the CDF general.

"She was a loose canon and you should have known," said Joanna.

"Yes, it is regrettable," said Alkaline. "But-"

"Sh-tch! Not regrettable. Sloppy! Your poor judgement could have cost us everything."

Joanna must've found out about the fake cash Alkaline attempted to exchange for us and it's not surprising she's pissed about it. At least Alkaline had it coming from her as we expected he would.

Joanna herself stood at the front of the table with Alkaline standing next to her in his spot. Everyone else gathered around the table in their spots and rows as well.

When everyone stood at the table, the put on their masks laid by their spots and put them on over their eyes. The masks they were wearing had fish eyes for the holes and tail fins detailed for the ornaments like a crown jewel. They were whale masks that they were wearing. The trademark and sigil for the herd.

This must have been some kind of meeting happening in this room. As we kept hidden watching the meeting, the lights go out and the fireplace goes on. The fire burning the wood in the furnace lit the room shrouded in darkness as it luminated behind the herd's leader in the whale mask down in front and across the table. Now things were getting tense.

Joanna pulls out the forged Eon Codex she took from me back in the alley. Then makes an announcement as we watch through the railing and the meeting comes to order.

"Children of the herd," begins Joanna. "We are gathered here tonight in this very chamber to unveil the holy secrets of Ares. To disclose the legend of the Ark of Genesis. The key to fulfilling the prophecy of the war to end all wars, the fate to end all fates, and the time to end all times. The Eternity War has begun. It began with the spark of Seattle and will end with burning of Chrysalis to their demise. The death of their world will be the birth of ours. Eon aeturnum. And may the herd guide us all."

"May the herd guide us all," said the people of the herd in unison.

The woman in the whale mask glances at the codex. Ready to unveil it's secrets with the projection light to everyone.

"Fifteen hundred years of searching," continued Joanna. "Finally, King Arthur's secrets will be revealed."

Joanna places the rectangular shaped codex in front of the light, but only reveals a shadow reflecting through the light. Take that Mizz Prescott.

"What is this?!" Joanna snapped at Alkaline, removing it from the light.

"I don't understand," replied Alkaline.

I roll my eye at the man in the whale mask and mock him moving my lips. Joanna takes a magnifier on the table to analyze it briefly. Figuring out our trick.

"It's a forgery," she said.

"What? That's not possible," said Alkaline. "I verified it myself."

Alkaline takes the magnifying glass to confirm the forgery for himself. Joanna scratches her head.

"This isn't the codex," said Alkaline, confirming the truth.

"Really," said Joanna, taking the codex back from him.

"I held it in my hands. I saw her take it out of her pocket. This doesn't make sense."

Joanna moves her hands around to mimic what we would've done to fool her. She didn't believe it until she pictured it.

"We've been duped," she said.

"Mr. Rojas," said Alkaline.

"Uh huh."

Fernando gives me a wince at their words. Now they know him to be their mole.

Joanna removes her mask and claps her hand to turn the lights back on and put the flame out. Everyone else removes their mask adjourning the meeting.

"You men stand guard and stay alert," ordered Joanna. "We may have been followed. You, come with us. Find them and bring me that codex. I don't care how you get it."

The men in the suits find a place stand guard at their post as ordered by Joanna. Joanna herself leaves the room with her righthand man and the rest of her men to hunt for us and the real codex. We wait for them to walk out the door before dropping in to deal with the guards. As soon as they left, I cue was a go.

The first guard we deal with is under our feet below the railing. I quietly make hand and finger gestures to direct Alex and Fernando to their positions to help take care of the guards posted elsewhere in the room. Fernando takes the left. Alex takes the right.

I vault over the railing and hang on with my fingers until I drop down and plummet onto the guard. Knocking him unconscious and down on the floor. Alex and Fernando play their part and rendering the other two guards in the room out cold.

"This is quite the operation they've got going here," said Alex.

We walk to the table where the herd last stood to peek at the things sitting on the table. From books to journal to the magnifier and the projection light pointing at the wall.

"Look at all this stuff," I said.

Looking at all the stuff on the table, there's one item of interest that catches my eye. It was a picture frame of all the member of the heard from 2000-2013. People lined up and staged in the picture wearing whale masks. The same masks we saw the people at the table wearing just now. A picture with a few familiar foes in the frame. Foes whom were once former piers of mine I made bad blood with before. Others who weren't so much.

All the faces in the frame rang a bell. I knew all of them. There was a little plaque on the frame with text written that said:

 **HERD OF WHALES**

 **SECRETY HONORARY SOCIETY**

 **2000-2013**

 **MEMEMBERS OF THE HERD LEFT TO RIGHT**

 **JOANNA PRESCOTT, SEAN PRESCOTT, CAROLINE PRESCOTT, KRISTINE PRESCOTT, NATHAN PRESCOTT, ALEXEI RANIKOV, DALILA RANIKOV, VLADIMIR RANIKOV, ELIAS ALKALINE, TABITHA ALKALINE, ISAAC ALKALINE, DERRICK CROSBY, LILIUM CROSBY, MARCUS CROSBY, MARK JEFFERSON, FERN JEFFERSON, GRACE JEFFERSON.**

 **DEDICATED TO THE CHILDREN OF THE HERD**

 **MAY THE HERD GUIDE US ALL**

Holy wowsers. As far as this picture frame and the herd's family tree is concerned, these psychos really were part of this society. Even had wives, sons, and daughters as part of the herd. I knew all the Prescotts from Arcadia except for Joanna, crossed paths with Alexei Ranikov the former Neo-Chrys leader and now Elias Alkaline the ConDef leader, and of course Crosby and Jefferson were all too familiar names on the list.

Wonder how Nathan became a member. There must've been an age line to become one. Eighteen perhaps. Probably enlisted a month or two before his killing. After all, this was dedicated to all the latest members from the year 2000 to 2013. The picture had to been shot at the end of that period. Four years earlier at a likelihood.

"Max, focus," said Alex. "We haven't got much time here."

"Yeah, yeah," I said.

I put the frame down to shift my attention to our priority. I pull out the real codex out of my coat pocket to project it in front of the light. Then another item of interest caught my eye.

It was a journal on the table that belonged to a Prescott. Professor Ezra Prescott of course. I take the journal to view the pages of a few entries by the man himself.

"What are you-," says Alex before cutting herself off.

When skimming through the pages, there are illustrations on Ezra's conquest and expedition to the Ark of Genesis. This may come in handy.

"Wowsers, do you know what this is?" I asked the two.

"It's a book, gringa," said Fernando. "There's a lot of them in here. It's a library."

"It's not just any book, wiseass. Belonged to Ezra Prescott. Y'know, the Prescott from the first world war."

"Si, si, si, I know who he is."

I keep turning the pages to find and old letter mailed to Ezra's son. Ezra Prescott, Jr. Dated in the year 1935.

"This was mailed from Salem on the day of Ezra's sons's motorcycle accident," I said. "Ezra Prescott, Jr. May 13th, 1935. They must've killed him once they got their hands on it."

"They?" Alex thought.

"Yeah, they. They, them, you know who these people are."

"Oh, what a lot of estupido," said Fernando. "It was an accident."

"Witnesses saw a black car run him off the road."

"Guys," said Alex.

"Oh, what," said Fernando. "So it was like a big cover up?"

"Maybe."

"Max!" Alex snapped.

"What?"

"That codex that we have been waiting five years for?"

"Right."

Knowing how Joanna shut the lights off, I clap my hands to turn the room black and light the fire in the furnace. I turn on the projection light, shine it in front of the codex in my hand, and the music is on.

The codex projects a luminous image on the wall in the darkness. An image with petroglyphs of carved figures and symbols. Showing the figures that represent people ascending to a strange machine as the centerpiece. A machine carved with a glowing blue light in the image. One that appeared to be hypnotizing me towards it.

While Alex and Fernando were mesmerized by the image as well, I slowly step forward to the blue light compelling me to come near it. I hear whispers through my ears. Voices in my brain murmuring the words: "Turn it off". Echoing repeatedly inside my neurons.

I walk closer and closer to the projection of the machine mumbling "Turn if off" frequently with my own voice. I'm no longer conscient in what I'm saying. The hypnosis from the codex's susceptive projection oblige me to say "Turn it off" on a loop with no end.

Alex attempts to grasp my attention calling my name and smacking my shoulder.

"Max!" She snaps. "Hey, what is it already? What do you mean turn it off?"

I stop repeating the three words and snap out of my hypnosis when I'm smacked on the shoulder.

"Alex, do you know what this is?" I asked. "The herd was obsessed about finding a key."

"A key to what?"

I point at the glyph symbolized as the key and move to the glyph symbolized as the ark.

"A key to an ancient device. A machine. 'The' machine to ending the war to end all wars and time and fates to end all time and fate. The one that balances time and continuum for all living things."

"The ark of genesis."

"Indeed."

"Incredible," said Fernando.

"They want to turn it off," I said. "This writing on this project writes it over and over again like a mantra."

"Or instructions," said Alex. "This is exactly what we've been looking for. This isn't just some random petroglyph, Max. They found the source. The ark of genesis, guarantee."

"You have got to be shitting me," said Fernando.

"The ark of genesis," I repeated.

Alex snapped a photo of the projection with her smartphone to use for reanalysis when need be. My eyes catch sight of some alphabet written on the image that could prove crucial.

"Alex, hand me over a pen and paper," I ask her.

She takes out a pen and paper from her pocket and I use her back as a hardened surface to write on. I hold the pen's cap in my mouth as I decipher the letter in the strange alphabet. I speak the letters out loud with the cap in my teeth.

"R…W…D…E…N…"

The letters are deciphered on paper and can be read in the English alphabet now.

"Huh," I thought.

"What is it?" Fernando asked.

"Ah, it's…'Rwyp Den'."

"What?!" Alex snapped.

"Shush!" Fernando snapped back.

"What the fuck do you mean 'ripe den'? Are you kidding me?"

"No offense, Lola, but King Arthur was a right pendejo."

"Would you shut up?" I asked the two. "It's an anagram."

I take the cap out of my mouth and rewrite the letters above 'long hidden' as the anagram intended.

"'Prydwen'," I said. "The Prydwen."

"Arthur's ship," said Fernando.

"Yes. It's a clue. It's gotta be something hidden in this room. Alright, spread out. See what you can find."

I clap my hands to turn the lights back on and remove the codex from the projection light. Whatever that represented the Prydwen, it must be found in this room. Whatever the Prydwen kept from its ripe den, as defined in the anagram, could be another little McGuffin or so vital to our quest for the Ark of Genesis. The three of us spread out across the room to start searching.

"What the hell are we looking for anyway?" Alex asked.

"The Prydwen," I reminded.

"Well, it could be a model," thought Fernando. "Or a painting."

"Well what makes you think it's even here?" Alex questioned.

"It's gotta be here," I said.

"Well it could be at Stanley Park for all we know," said Fernando.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Stanley Park. It's a place, you've never been there. Move on."

"Well there's a chair their made from the wood of the ship."

"Maybe it's hidden there."

"Yeah, I suppose it could be," I said. "But…no, no, it's gotta be here."

I look around the place in search of the hind myself. My eyes skim through so many nick nacks from the Arthurian era in the herd's boardroom. From painting, to swords, to taxidermy, etc.

"This place is amazing," I said. "The things in here must be worth a fortune."

"Max, we can't be screwing around like this," said Alex. "They'll be back any minute."

"Yeah, come on, Lola," said Fernando. "Hurry up."

Not a second too soon, I lift my head up to see exactly what we need. The figurehead from the tip of Arthur's ship. Mounted on the corner of the wall onto taxidermy plaque.

"Of course," I said. "There it is. I found it."

"Where?" Fernando asked.

"Up there. The figurehead from Arthur's ship."

As usual, it takes rock climbing to get where need to. I climb on some swords in wood sheaths on display and around a beam to jump over and climb on the next beam where the figure head was mounted.

Once I'm next to the figurehead, I slip off the wall a little but catch my grip with the figurehead. That is when more guards burst inside the room to discover us and take us out.

"Oh shit," I said.

"It's a trap," said Fernando.

"They're here! Take cover!"

I quickly reach for my silenced gun and shoot the two guards with their guns aimed for Alex and Fernando. When the guards are shot down, the figurehead I hang onto begins to crack loose. That is when I fall down back to the floor real hard on my ass and the figure head cracks open a loose piece of paper. Something we might need.

More guards ran inside and I hustle for cover behind the wall beam I climbed on to get up to the figurehead. While Fernando and Alex held off the guards shooting at us with their guns to shoot back, I immediately unfold the raggedy and rusted paper that came out of water ship head to see a map titled the Eternal Cartographer.

This cartographer marked the locations of all six Eternity Shards. Two which were crossed off. Four which were unmarked. The shards drawn on the map were labeled Space, Mind, Reality, Power, Time, and Soul. Mind and soul were crossed off and the other were left with an x.

Whatever this meant, this was no time for analyzing. The guards were still up and shooting at us.

"Lola, we could use a little help here!" Fernando shouted.

"Come on, Max!" Alex shouted. "Let's go!"

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Grab the journal and the codex!" I shouted.

When I removed the codex from the light, I didn't take it with me. Fernando made sure to run back for Ezra's journal and the codex past the bullets as Alex and I held the guards back with our own. I make sure to fold the map back up and place it in my pocket as well. Whilst the journal and codex were back in our hands.

"Got it!" Fernando shouted, swiping both the codex and journal off the table. "Go! Go!"

We shoot down the rest of the guards blocking the exit and we were in the clear. We were also running short on ammo and had to take the guards' pistols for extra. Then we run through the exit and back to the catacomb we came through to get inside the herd's lair.

More guards came running down the catacomb and we shot them point before they could do it to us. Even more guards come closing in outside the catacomb and into the corridors with the DOA trains. They were throwing smoke in the room to blind us from them and laser sights beaming through the smoke. Not to mentions guards with AK's in the halls as well. This is where the fight gets serious.

"Shit, they're everywhere!" Fernando shouted.

"Goddamn ambush!" Alex shouted. "Cover me!"

"You got it!" I shout.

"We gotta get out of here, Max!" Fernando yelled.

"Just keep moving forward!" I holler. "We'll find a way out!"

We take out the guards with our pistol and I use my time vision to scan through the smoke. I even go as far as using my advanced powers such as my time dash and rush to take out guards in suits with guns quicker. My cunning tactics pick them off with ease. Just like the Chrysalis soldier who attacked me during the Blackwell shooting and my Neo-Chrys foes three years earlier.

I hadn't used any of my powers in such a long while since and Alex is stunned at the way I thrive my superpower against the herd's guards. The superpowers Alex never got to see back on that porch in Portland. Like Chloe before her, she pledged allegiance to her cousin and the power for which she stands.

"Holy wowsers, Max!" Alex shouts, holding off the guards. "You never showed me those powers!"

"Well I'm showing them to you now!" I shout back. "Keep fighting!"

Since I was the one with all the fancy powers, I did most of the house cleaning for the other two. Once the first batch of guards were down, we advance further into the halls past the trains and find ourselves fighting guards shooting us from every corner. Even on the roofs of the derelict trains.

After the second wave of guards, I pick up a KAL-7 from one of the guards are kill and start using it as a better weapon then my pistol. During the third wave of tangos, more smoke was thrown in our faces as well as more laser sights flashing in our eyes. Danger close, Caulfield. I hope you checked the perimeter. As my roommate's former step-ass used to say.

We knew the drill. Run, cover, and shoot at our enemies. And use my powers if need be. I hadn't been in this much shoot 'em up action since the shooting and Portland. After tonight, guess my action heroine days are far from over.

While shooting across our way past the corridors with my SMG, we spotted an exit to the transits up some stairs we hadn't seen before. We take it as our ticket out the door.

The stairs take us to a dark subway tunnel with tracks nailed to the ground. Another wave of boogies close in on our twelve as well as more smoke exhausted down in front lit with more laser sights. Same drill as usual. Run, cover, shoot. Time powers if necessary.

Shooting past the armed men in suits, we run up to some subway trains parked on the tracks next to subway stop. The light at the end of our tunnel.

"Rojas, where the hell are we?" I asked.

"It's the West Point Grey Station," said Fernando. "Come on."

And Senior Rojas was right. West Point Grey Station it was.

We step on over the subway stop next to the parked trains and shoot through more goons in suits with guns against our will. As much as Joanna wanted us out of the picture, she made her own men look like push overs with semi-auto rifle at my trigger finger as well as my powers.

I miss fighting Neo-Chrys with their strikers and juggernauts. Maybe when I start fighting ConDef, Alkaline's men, I'll start seeing more of those formidable foes.

"Kristen, can you here me?" Fernando asked on his ear phone. "We're coming out the old West Point Grey Station. There's no time to explain. We got company."

We run up some more stairs exiting the stop and entering the turnstile area. More hostiles were afoot and we knew what to do.

Shooting past the goons in suits through the turnstiles, we at last find out exit out of here through a locked gate barriered by a plaque of plywood covering the gate. There was a chain with a lock tying it down and the three of us were gonna have to break it down.

"Mierda," said Fernando, kicking the gate. "Mierda!"

"Trapped like fucking rats!" Alex snapped.

"Back up! Back up!" I shout.

I shoot the lock off with my pistol like before, the chain shackles loose, and Fernando and Alex open the gate together. So we knock down the wooden barricade as well and make our escape.

We were now outside the station back on the streets. More bad men in suits advanced on us but were picked off by bullets to the heart. It was none other than Rachel Amber in the flesh shooting the goons with her pistol out her car seat window in the van. Our getaway vehicle has arrived.

"Come on!" Rachel shouts.

The three of us race to the back doors of the van where Kristen opens the doors for us to let us in. When more of Joanna's agents march outside the subway station, Frank hits the gas once we're all in as we close the van doors behind us and bullets attempt to shoot us out of our wheels. We shoot a couple more baddies in our narrow escape to take some heat off our tail.

The goons stop firing bullets and stop pursuing us on their own feet once we hit the road and turn right away from the hostilities. Considering this mission accomplished and accounted for. Only this journey was far from over.

And since what we did tonight, we were just getting started.


	10. The Eternal Cartographer

Chapter 10 The Eternal Cartographer

David

July 6th, 2017

8:06 PM

USCC Oregon

Chesapeake Bay

 _"_ _Oh shit! Everyone, brace for impact! Incoming! What the hell happened?! Everyone, hang onto something! Pull up! Pull up! I can't control her! Brace for impact! Hold on!"_

I jerk wide awake in my cabin on the Oregon. Waking up from another horrific war flashback I thought I'd never had to experience since my last PTSD treatment. I sit down on my bunk bed and press my hand against my forehead. Quelling myself from the painful memory of Lynch's Seahawk going down with me, my team, Joyce, Vanessa, and Ryan.

A knock is heard from the door of my cabin. I let my visitor walk in. It was my wife now entering my cabin to check on me.

"Joyce, can I help you?" I asked.

"I just came here to check on my husband," she replied. "Vanessa and Ryan are still adjusting to the sanctuary. I also called Chloe to make sure ConDef didn't hit Portland. She said they're preparing evacuation arrangements for if they do get there. She'll be safe with the Chrysalis military making procedures."

"I know."

"Are you alright?"

"I haven't been getting what you call a good night's sleep for two days."

"There's more to it than that, isn't there? What's really bothering you?"

"People around me have a tendency to get hurt. Or worse. Lynch getting knocked out with her bird airborne and Ryan breaking his leg in the crash. They're just the latest in a long line. Plus, back in Seattle, I can hear people in the streets panicking and screaming for mercy. Countless people losing their lives one by one. ConDef is everything we feared to be."

"David, I was there with you. We both didn't come out of that warzone casually. Lynch is a fighter as she is a flier. Ryan was an injured civilian who would've never have made it alive without you. If anyone can get better on will themselves, so can we."

"I hope you're right. If we had died in that war zone, we would've orphaned Chloe. If Ryan and V had died, the same would've been done to Max."

"Don't blame yourself, David."

Kristine is the next person to walk in the cabin in the middle of my wife and I's discussion. Noticing the two of us talk.

"Commander Madsen, could we – Oh," she says. "I beg your pardon. I thought you were alone."

"I was just leaving," said Joyce.

Joyce walked out of the room and left me alone to talk with Kristine.

"Commander Madsen, could we talk for a moment?" Kristine asked.

I let her come inside and sit down next to me on the bunk to talk.

"Admiral Penske updated the team about the mission," she said. "Senator Amber is negotiating an evacuation arrangement for San Francisco from the coming ConDef attack with the state's congress. He's aware of the vitality with SF Spectre."

"So I've heard."

I knew Kristine had come here for more than just the update on our mission.

"You know, don't take this personally, but Cayce and I have been worried sick. You haven't left your cabin in two days, you look like you haven't slept in two days, and you smell like you haven't showered in two days. I know something's up with you."

"Maybe what's up with me is that we've just been through a hellfire back in Seattle and you don't just walk away from that idly. Not to mention the crash we barely survived in and the crossfire towards the Space Needle. Sigh…but that's not all. A boy who looked no younger than eleven or twelve. Blown up in one of the Seahawks with his parents. It was awful enough going through Afghanistan, it was a mistake joining Chrysalis to never see the end of it."

"David, whatever happened down there, we did what we could. If we hadn't been there for Joyce and the others, they would've wound up dead without us. What matters is that they're alive because of us and we keep moving forward."

"I just hope Chloe's safe from this madness. She's a fighter, but she's no soldier like me."

"You never told me too much about her. Where is she now?"

"She's living in Portland with her roommate, Max. Though Max did just leave for her Vancouver job. What is there to tell?"

"You never told me too much about your relationship with her to be specific. Only that's she's your stepdaughter."

"Honestly, Kris, my relationship with her hadn't truly been the kindest. When her father passed, I was there for her mother and herself when they had to go through it. Even then, though Joyce was forgiving to move on without Bill, Chloe wasn't. Her dad was everything to her and I was not the dad she asked for. During her sixteenth birthday, she raised a knife at me when I was cutting her cake. When I told her to empty her pockets checking for drug use, she flipped the bird. 'Wanna know what's worse than invading people's privacy, doing it for no reason.' Didn't see her again until the next morning."

"Were there ever any good things that happened between the two of you at all?"

"Well, a few good things maybe."

"Like what?"

"When she came back the next morning, I told her I regretted for making her empty her privacy and apologized for it. Then I offered a peace offering to her to help her understand how much I understood her grief. A picture of me and a good friend of mine I lost in Afghan."

"Phil Becker."

"She accepted the offer. Even then, she still wasn't fond of Joyce and I being together and still struggled with our marriage. Every now and then she'd call me step-this and step-that and step-douche and step-fuhrer. And over the years, her delinquency only got worse. That was until Max came into my life when she hit the fire alarm and saw her in Chloe's room. She tried to take the blame for Chloe's drugs and I threatened to call the cops. I asked her the next day at school the dope was really hers and it wasn't. Not that I ever believed her to begin with. Point is, things had changed when Max started seeing Chloe. I understood the two were once best friends back when William was the man of the house and my family begin to rebuild itself because of Max. I don't know how, but she just did."

"If you were to talk to Chloe now, what would she say to you compared to then?"

"She would say: 'I love you, David. Even though I wasn't ready to accept you as my dad then, I am now.'"

"Dad used to speak of a James Amber in Arcadia Bay. One who served as the local district attorney. Honesty, integrity, loyalty, was his motto. I understand he's the same James Amber now representing the Californian senate."

"He also fathered Chloe's other best friend, Rachel. The former Blackwell queen as they once called her."

"Rachel? As in Rachel Amber? The Rachel, Nathan, used to talk about? They're related?"

"They are. Rachel was Chloe's friend after Max moved away and two were in a tight relationship before they're separation."

"Well, I think Nathan mentioned in his emails back in my Peace Corps days that Rachel and James were related, but never spoke so often about. Only trying to remember what he wrote during the troubles he went through before he passed away four years ago back in Arcadia Bay. Before my family's dark days had befallen."

"I'm telling ya, Kris. Never thought I'd ever say this, but I miss being chief security at Blackwell and the ABPD. I'd rather babysit teenage delinquents than revive the horrors from my Afghan days into horrors of a war worse than that. Maybe I was better off living an easier marriage with Joyce away from the field."

"Don't feel guilty for not having an easier life, Commander. Feel guilty for not being a stronger man. Which you won't, but will be. I know you will."

* * *

Max

July 6th, 2017

8:11 PM

Aurora Creek, Canada

Caulfield Estate

"So then Fernando says," said Alex. "'You owe me a drink, hermana. Now take pictures of us standing here happily drunk on this troll with your primos camara!'"

Everyone in the living room, including Alex, Rachel, Frank, and Fernando all have a laugh at Alex's story of us at the Freemont Troll we went to under the freeway some years back during my five years in Seattle. While Kristen, Bryan, and I analyze Ezra Prescott's journal.

Kristen takes some notes and searches for references on her Surface Pro tablet. Uncle Bryan and I skim through the pages of Ezra's journal to find the clues we're looking for on our quest for the Ark of Genesis. We also take a peek at the Eternal Cartographer map I found hidden inside the figure back at the lair.

Alex proposes a toast with a cup of liquor in her hand to celebrate our job well done.

"To a job well done," she says.

"Yeah," said Rachel.

"Amen," said Frank.

"Si," said Fernando. "Muy estan."

The four of them raise their shot glasses and drink up. To a job well done, but unfinished.

"Are the tres of you going to join us, Lola?" Fernando asked me.

"Yeah," I replied. "Yeah."

I walk to the living room table to set the map down.

"Well the map proves it," I said. "The map you're looking at is known as the Eternal Cartographer. Arthur didn't screw around in Europe for six months. He sailed straight through and headed to Meridian Prime."

"Right," said Alex.

"But here's where it get's interesting. See these drawings?"

I point at the images of the Eternity Shards drawn on the map to specify.

"These are the Eternity Shards. Also referred to as stones or gems."

"What the hell is an Eternity Shard?"

"According to my research," said Kristen. "The Eternity Shards were the six immensely powerful fragments tied to different aspects of the universe created by cosmic entities. So that way each of the shards can possess unique capabilities that have been enhanced by various mystical civilizations for over a millennium of years."

"And those capabilities were the aspects of space, mind, reality, power, time, and soul," I said. "Arthur and Merlin were on a conquest to find these shards during their Eternity War so that they could forge a weapon compatible with these shards. That weapon was known as the Eternity Gauntlet."

"You mean the Infinity Gauntlet?" Fernando asked. "Great, I never thought I'd hear comic book references in this."

"Merlin was the first mortal being to ever wield the gauntlet during Arthur's Eternity War. And probably the one for forged the gauntlet too."

"Who the hell is Merlin?" Frank asked.

"Merlin? One of King Arthur's closest wizards," answered Fernando. "Everyone knows that."

"I know who Merlin is," said Rachel. "Nathan once played as him in Theatre once during my Blackwell era."

"Yeah, and he was seriously into the occult," said Fernando. "I mean like in a really creepy, dark way."

"Yeah, and as you can see here, this map marks the destinations of all the Eternity Shards kept hidden in a secret crypt all around the European region. The mind, soul, and power shards hidden in Greece, the reality shard hidden in Italy, the time shard hidden in the Mediterranean islands, and the space shard hidden in the middle east."

"Lebanon," said Alex.

"And the shards were protected and guarded in their crypts by celestial beings," said Kristen. "The mind, soul, and power shards protected by Lakhesis; the first sister of fate, the reality shard protected by Atropos and Clotho; the second and third sisters of fate, the space shard protected by Hades; god of the underworld, and the time shard protected by Chronos; the god of time."

"Chronos, the god of time?" Rachel thought. "Max, didn't we once cross paths with that celestial being before back when we entered Elysium?"

"This must be what influenced Stan Lee to create the Infinity Stones for his Marvel comics," said Fernando. "You see, look. Space, mind, reality-"

"Not really that relevant," I said.

"So it was Arthur who sent Merlin to build this gauntlet or whatever to forge it with those mystical shards?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, it looks that way," I said. "Arthur and Merlin."

"And Lancelot," added Fernando.

"Great, but what for?" Alex asked.

"Well, that's the million-dollar question, isn't it?" I thought. "And this is where Ezra Prescott comes in."

I open Ezra's journal for all of us to see.

"See, before Ezra set course to Meridian Prime," I continue. "He was an archeologist."

I slip out a picture of Ezra Prescott at an archeological site from the journal and set it on the table with the map.

"Even when he was just a kid," I resumed. "He was obsessed with history. Everything to do with the knights and the crusades. He traveled all over. Documenting every crusader site he could find. It's all in here."

"Alright, you've lost me completely, Max," said Alex. "What the hell does this got to do with Arthur?"

"I'm getting to that. See, during the first world war, Ezra said that if he were to go to Meridian Prime, it would be to search for this place he called 'High Providence'. Home of the Ark of Genesis. Now the legend crops up over and over again under different names. New Exodus, the colony of Meridian Prime. The city of hope and the riches of paradise. But the story is always the same."

I hand the journal over to Alex for her to see the pages illustrating New Exodus.

"Oh, 'A city of immeasurable wealth'," she said. "Destroyed by the gods for its arrogance. Swallowed forever in the soil of Mount Morai."

"Right here," I said, pointing to the location of Meridian Prime island on the map. Located in the Mediterranean Sea.

"Well, I like the 'immeasurable wealth' part anyway."

"And you think this is what Arthur sent Merlin after?" Fernando asked.

"Oh yeah," I said. "And more importantly, it's what Joanna is after."

"So wait," said Rachel. "If Merlin was on a mission from the King to find this place, why all the secrecy? I mean it looks like he went to a lot of trouble to hide whatever he found. Even from his majesty."

"I don't know."

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Fernando. "What was that?"

"No, hang on a second," said Rachel. "Because if you recall the last time we went halfway around Oregon from Arcadia Bay to Portland searching for a myth, things got more than a little dicey."

"Yeah, but this time we have the upper hand. I mean look, Arthur only had half the clues. Ezra only had half. We have both. And Joanna has nothing."

"Small problem," said Alex. "Meridian Prime is in the Mediterranean Sea. Over nine thousand kilometers across the globe from where we stand. The Italians go around the damn thing."

"Even if we knew where it was," said Fernando. "Which we don't, we would die trying to find it."

"No offense, ladies and gents," said Frank. "But I astoundingly agree with Fernando here. I'm better off walking the red carpet with Rachel to go on stage."

"Gracias, Franco. Your sentiments are as good as mine."

"Just hold on," I said. "You see these symbols here?"

I point at the symbols framed on the map.

"Yeah, it looks like Olympian script," said Alex.

"It's Olympian script," I repeated.

"Right."

"Look, the Loomis crusaders were searching for the same lost city a thousand years ago. But out of all the sites Ezra documented, only two are marked with these symbols. One in Italy, the other in Greece."

"Bryan, you mentioned something about an Ares back at the roundtable," said Rachel. "You said this Ares is the one who started this conflict that began in Seattle. How does he link to any of this?"

"That is an impeccable question to bring up, Rachel," said Bryan. "That I'm proud you have. These shards drawn on the cartographer and the Eternity Gauntlet weapon my niece mentioned, Ares wants that weapon. He needs that weapon to deem his victory in this war. If those shards were to fall in the hands of the Herd of Whales or ConDef likewise, they would be in the hands of Ares. If they were to befall in Ares's hands, the world as we knew it would be no more."

"Thousands of years ago," said Kristen. "Back during the Eternity War from the Arthurian era, Ares himself managed to take this weapon for himself from Merlin that prompted Arthur and his army to lose the war to Ares alone. The war Chrysalis is now fighting in, they may just lose this war the way the Loomis order did if history were to repeat itself here and now. What Bryan is trying to say, it's in our hands to stop Ares from reclaiming these shards to reestablish his power and annihilate the universe. The Ark of Genesis and the Eon Codex are the keys to turning the tide of this war to Chrysalis and preventing the apocalypse per se."

"Great, more myths I refuse to believe in," said Frank.

"So just wait," said Rachel. "You're saying that if we get to these shards before Ares, the herd, and ConDef does, it will help us end the war to ensure Chrysalis victorious? If we were also to get to the Ark of Genesis first too?"

"That is precisely what she's saying," said Bryan. "You see how these two shards are crossed off? The Mind and Soul shards are already in their hands. If we're to prevent them from taking the other four shards, it would ensure our survival for this war. I don't trust we can all go to these places together all at once. It's best if we boys and girls split up to these certain documented sites. Half of us in Italy, and the other half in Greece."

"Ooh," said Rachel, raising her hand.

"No, you're going to Italy," I said. "With Frank, Fernando, and Kristin. Alex, Bryan, and I are going to Greece. Look, we track down these shards, we find Ezra's lost city and the ark. I'm sure of it."

"And then what?" Fernando asked. "How are we going to get across nine thousand kilometers of impassable seas and wastelands?"

"Well, it's in Europe. So technically we go there by plane."

Everyone chuckles. In denial of my words.

"Look, I don't know. We'll figure it out."

"We burn that bridge when we get to it, eh?" Rachel asked.

"Exactly. Whaddya say?"

"I hear the weather in Greece is lovely this time of year," said Bryan.

"What the hell?" Alex replied.

"Let's do it," said Fernando.

And so it was settled. Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and Kristin take a plane to Italy while Bryan, Alex, and I take my Uncle's plane to Greece. To find the Eternity Shards, foil the sinister destiny, and find the Ark of Genesis once and for all.

No sacrifice, no victory.

 **Note: There was one little plot error I made in the last chapter. Ezra Prescott's son was in the motorcycle accent Max mentions in Chapter 9. Ezra Prescott, Jr. The fate of Ezra Prescott, Sr. will be a lot different than what I wrote at first. I rewrote that error and updated the last chapter to make sense of it all. My apologies.**

 **Thank you. And until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	11. The Light Is Green

Chapter 11 The Light Is Green

David

July 12th, 2017

9:59 AM

USCC Oregon

Gulf of the Farallones

"Attention all combat personnel. Please report to your acting stations."

It had been over a week since the attack in Seattle and now it was time to take fight to the CDF in San Francisco. The intercom heard on the ship was now alerting every military personnel on board to their stations. Ready to fight for a world secured from quantum terrorism.

Every chopper and jet fighter in the hanger took to landing their ground as every troop hustled to their stations with a rifle in their fingers and boots jogging the floor. Every tank and jeep parked in the hanger were too patrolling the zone prepped for war.

"Secure the hanger on deck eleven. 14th platoon rendezvous with 22nd tactical at Bulkhead Charlie 14."

Cayce, Kristine, Cage, and the rest of my platoon marched inside the hanger and lined up behind a docked VTOL. Lynch was boarding her JSAC fighter with her air squadron to prepare to fight in the battlefield airborne.

"You heard the lady," said Cage. "Move like you got a purpose."

"This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill."

Every one of us stood up straight and lined up with a rifle in hand behind our VTOL chopper we were being transported in and dropped off into San Fran. Me, Cayce, Kristine, and Flint lined up on the left side and Mason, Heard, Newblood, and Logos lined up on the right side parallel to one another. Cage walked between the eight of us lined up for a little pep talk speech of his.

"Once again, it is our job to finish what the flyboys started," began Cage. "We are leaving this shipment and engaging the ConDef on solid ground. When we meet the enemy, we will rip their skulls from their spine and toss them away laughing! Am I right marines?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" We holler in unison.

"Mm-hmm. Damn right I am. Now move it out! Double time!"

"Attention all personnel. We are now engaging the enemy. External and internal contacts imminent."

The light is green. The clock is ticking. The world is watching. We are Chrysalis. Prepared to fight there and back again until we destroy what we're sworn to fight against and protect what we're sworn to fight for. We were all in.

"All you cupcakes who wanted to see ConDef up close," said Cage. "This is gonna be your lucky day!"

The nine of us "ooh-rah" and wish us good hunting. The nine of us are split in two different choppers. Cayce, Kristine, Mason, and I board one VTOL. Cage, Heard, Logos, Newblood, and Flint board another. I take command of one half of the team, Cage takes command of his.

The bulkhead doors in the hangar bay open and every chopper and fighter preps for take-off. And then were off the ground, out of the hangar, and in the air.

Every helicopter, Seahawk, VTOL, and Chrysalis fighter airborne hurdles in attack formation a thousand feet above the Gulf of the Farallones. Away from the Chrysalis fifth fleet that included the Oregon, Tillamook, Salem, and many others. On route to the coast of San Fran just ten miles away from where we were flying.

I lock and load my weapons on the VTOL I boarded with my team. Ready to command them at will.

"What exactly are we expecting down there, Commander?" Cayce asked. "You said in debriefing they'll be evacuation arrangements that should've happened by now. Doesn't sound like everyone's going to make it."

"No, they're not," I said. "But yeah, evac arrangements have started since last Thursday. Unfortunately, Chrysalis couldn't get everyone out sooner. So expect some civilians in peril and watch your fire down there. I know for a fact there's still people alive down there with about a quarter to half dead."

"Valor One, Newblood here. Apparently, we're riding on VTOL D28. See you on the battlefield, Madsen."

"It's go time, amigo!" Logos said.

"You know it, amigo," said Heard.

"Good hunting, guys," I replied. "Take care of Wheeler for me."

"They will, Commander," said Flint.

"HQ, this is Valor One. We're on VTOL 314 and heading out now."

"Roger that, Valor One. You're good to go."

"Hiya, Madsen," said Lynch. "I'm flying right next to your VTOL. Thought I might swoop in to say happy hunting, Commander. Raise me on the flare if you need me and my squadron."

"As you were, Lynch. Madsen out."

"All fighters, on me."

"Valor Team, this is Captain Harvest. Over the last seventy-two hours, our evac teams have extracted at least ninety percent of the population in San Fran while experiencing identical events. Bombings. Massive destruction. ConDef in origin. But Senator James Amber has managed to contact us. He claims to have information on these attacks."

"Amber is currently in a ConDef hostage crisis in City Hall," said Penske. "You all know what to do. Your mission is to retrieve Amber behind enemy lines, extract him to SF Spectre, and bring him back to the Oregon. Be advised, we're getting reports of Berkeley northeast of San Fran under siege as well. They're may be survivors needed for evac to SF Spectre likewise. If you have the opportunity."

"Understood, Admiral," I reply.

"Good luck, Commander Madsen," said Harvest. "Harvest out."

"Tracking gear online?" I asked Mason.

"Affirmative," he replied.

"Say, before we make this jump," said Kristine. "Anybody want to say a few words?"

"I figured if God could know how scared I am," said Cayce. "So can everyone else. Madsen, you buying the first drink when we're done?"

"You ask, you buy," I replied.

Cayce smiled.

"Alright, settle in Valor," I said. "We've got a long ride to San Fran."

After ten miles of flying, we could see San Francisco already ablaze of smoke and fire from the ConDef attack that started seventy-two hours ago. Ash spreading in the air from the rubble of charred buildings. We were now flying above the outskirts of San Fran caused by the attack.

From crumbled building to shatter streets, San Fran was now a deserted warzone. Nobody but Chrysalis and ConDef fighting in skirmishes over the past three days. Now it was time for us to join the fight.

"HQ, this is SCAR Leader," said Lynch. "All grey hawks have reported in. We're starting our attack run."

"Affirmative, SCAR Leader. You're free to engage."

"All wings, form up on me. Lock as falls in attack positions."

"HQ to all units. We're getting a strange message from ConDef com activity. The message repeats itself. War. War. War. Eon aeturnum."

"Catchy," said Harvest. "Any idea what it means?"

"Dear humanity," said Cage. "We're going to war with terrorist bastards. We're going to war in San Fran. And we're most definitely going to war after the corps just blew up our raggedy-ass stronghold!"

"Ooh-rah!"

"War is the persona of a myth, Captain," said HQ. "The myth of a god from Greek mythology known as Ares the god of war. We don't know what that means, but the answers are likely down in those outskirts."

A few jeeps of the ground came vrooming across the streets of San Fran below us ready to fight whatever's in our path. Turrets mounted and bullets loaded.

I've been hearing the name Ares since that helmet cam footage of Captain Lyall and his team. Ares is turning sounding to be more than just an operation. It's sounding to be a kind of deity ConDef is worshipping along with their propaganda word "Eon aeturnum". When out feet are on the ground, we just might have the answers we've been looking for since last week back in Seattle.

There were recon teams on the ground. Men with snipers on rooftops to watch our twelve for enemy enforcements.

"Immediate: grid kilo-two-three is hot," said a sniper. "Recommend mission abort."

"Roger, recon," said HQ. "It's your call ground teams. That means you, Valor."

"We're going in," said Cage. "Get tactical, marines!"

"Commander Madsen," said Penske. "Get on the ground and secure Senator Amber. This is the only place in the country ConDef has decided to attack thus far. Amber is going to tell us why."

"WILCO," I replied. "Fireteam Valor, the light is green!"

I hit the button to open the hatch for us to be ready to make the drop to ground. We get our rifles equipped and ready for combat. Until a loud boom was heard nine-o-clock.

One of the VTOLs was hit by an RPG rocket and blown out of the air. ConDef demos with RPGs were firing rockets from the roof to blow us to bits.

"Mayday! Mayday! We're under RPG fire from the rooftop! I say again, RPG fire from-"

The pilot from one of the bird was cut off after getting hit by the rockets. It was time for us to bail and fast.

Too late, we were already hit and coming down. We all hang onto something after the thud that makes us tremble and the boom that sends us crashing down into the buildings.

"Everyone, brace yourselves!" I shout.

And then we hit the corner of a rooftop. And eventually the ground floor. Another unhappy landing strikes again.

* * *

Victoria – Age 21 (POV)

Taylor – Age 22

Freddy – Age 23

July 9th, 2017

3:09 PM

Berkeley, California

Berkeley Fraternity Home

 **3 days earlier…**

 **Time of Our Lives – Pitbull Ne-Yo**

Loud music, laughing young adults, champagne openings, drug usages, and a house full of colleges kids partying like it's 1999. Celebrating the Berkeley Homecoming Fraternity. A frat party in a nutshell.

I had spent the last three years in college building up my photography degree. Without a creepy photography instructor like Mark Jefferson, the man who murdered Nathan, to blackmail over some stupid Everyday Heroes contest.

Over the last couple of months, I've been getting emails from Max about some Vancouver job her professor has been offering to her. Asking for advisory if she should take it. I've written back to her giving her all the advice to offer.

I've also seen Rachel's performance with her trailer boyfriend, Frank, on television in the show "So You Think You Can Dance". Ever since her one-year vanishing from Blackwell, never imagined the day would come.

Everyone attending Berkeley University was on summer break and here I was out making time in the backyard of Berkeley's fraternity home with all my friends new and old. Which included my new English boyfriend I've been seeing since freshman year, Freddy Mayne, and all my Blackwell/Vortex elites before Berkeley. Which included Taylor, Courtney, Dana, Juliet, and Hayden.

Logan and Zach were accepted to the Oregon State University and attended there instead after graduating Blackwell. So they were no longer part of our gang.

Not mention Nathan was too excluded from our club since his passing. Since he died, it was shame his life was wasted from this opportunity. He would've made the finest Berkeley student at the university for a Prescott between his grades and legacy. I've missed since I left Arcadia Bay with everyone else.

At least Freddy is here for me. Since we started seeing each other, I always found him to be the same charming and quirky human being Nathan used to be.

While people were partying indoors, my friends and I hung out outdoors where people drank beer and smoked dope. Along with a DJ playing "Pitbull" and a barbeque grill grilling food for everyone such as steaks, burgers, and hotdogs. The seven of us sat down on some chairs and socialized.

"I thought Rachel and Nathan would make the finest couple," said Hayden. "But then Victoria spits out 'Someone who likes to glom all over her and sleep with her all night until she's all smutted out. That my friends, is Chloe Price.'"

Everyone, including me, burst out laughing about what I said to Rachel that night at the Vortex Club party during our game of "Guess Who" four years ago. The night she disappeared.

"And then Nathan goes, 'She just told your deepest darkest secret! You must be so embarrassed!'"

"Got to admit," said Freddy. "Sounds to me Nathan used to be a real geezer just like me."

"Speaking of Rachel," said Dana. "Anyone see her performance on 'So You Think You Can Dance'?"

"Oh, you had to bring that up," said Courtney.

"Dude, she was sick on that show," said Taylor. "Nathan would be barfing by now if he were alive."

"I know, right?"

"Oh, come on," said Juliet. "She wasn't half as bad as she used to be in drama. Or when she was a vigilante outlaw taking down Nathan's dad back in Arcadia."

"Victoria, what did you think?" Hayden asked.

"You know what I think," I said. "I think even after three years in Berkeley and in my sorority and graduated from Blackwell, I'm still indifferent about Rachel. Nevertheless, she's earned her scars. That's what I think."

"You do know that her dad is now the senator of Cali, right?" Dana asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"I was never really a fan of him when he ran the DA's office in Arcadia. Still not a fan of him now in the Californian senate. Especially with his politics involving Chrysalis. That corps who shot up Blackwell, started a war and mutiny against Max Caulfield and Rachel Amber, and raged riots in Arcadia Bay."

"At least now they're fighting the right people this time," said Courtney. "ConDef or CDF or whatever you call 'em. That's what I like more about James Amber. You're just thinking he's in bed with Mitt Romney or Donald Trump. Two modern politicians who tried to make the right decisions for the wrong reasons. One of them who tried to take over Obama during mid-term reelection, and the other who actually took over Obama after the end of his presidency."

"You know what," said Freddy. "I think this calls for a toast. To new and old friends. And to the Berkeley Homecoming Fraternity that's brought us together."

"If that's our toast, amen," said Hayden.

The seven of us raise our cans of beer and drink up. Except for Freddy who just now notices his can empty.

"Oh, shite," he says. "Victoria, could get me another beer from the cooler. It's down that way."

"Do I look like your maiden, Freddy?" I asked.

"Don't be like that, love. I do favors for you all the time. Why should you be any different?"

"I'll go with you," said Taylor. "I need another beer too."

"Fine, drama king," I said. "I'll get your stupid beer. Whatever gets you wasted."

I get off my seat and leave the group with Taylor to get our beer. The cooler was at the other end of the yard by the grill where we walked to.

"You do know that you don't ask a girl out and not get her a drink right?" Taylor asked.

"No one asked anyone out," I said. "For a girl who's ran the Berkeley sorority for three years, I don't often get use to taking orders from anyone."

"Freddy's your boyfriend, Victoria. Your boyfriend who was there for you when Nathan wasn't. You should give him more credit than he's worth. He's earned that much."

"Just because he's my boyfriend after my boyfriend, doesn't mean earned that prerogative yet. I'm his girlfriend with a much stellar rep than him. Don't mean to rub it in, but in all fairness, when you're in charge of things, you're responsible for giving orders. That simple."

"You've been together for three years and even after all that time, you still haven't changed since Blackwell, have you? Sad face."

"You keep telling yourself that. Just leave it to me."

Suddenly, before we got our beer from the cooler, a tremor is felt in the yard. Then the power goes out in the house and the DJ music stops. At first, I believe it to be a power outage in the area, but then another small tremor rumbles under out feet. Everyone outside is silent and confused.

"What was that?" Taylor asked. "Is there an earthquake going on?"

And then another tremor rumbles. Even rough then the last. It begins to panic everyone and make the girls wheeze. Not only did we feel or hear a tremor, but some kind of explosion from distances away. Whatever this was, as much as I was panicking myself, this was more than just a little tremor. And certainly not an earthquake.

"That didn't sound like an earthquake," I said.

Everyone at the party clamors around the front yard of the frat house to see an awe-stuck visual far more shocking than an earthquake. What we all see are planes flying in the air like it's World War III. Smoke and fire destroying homes in the neighborhood. Cause from objects dropping from the air vehicles.

So many jaws are dropped and tons of eye brows are raised at this sight of terror. The crowd of college patrons shrieking in shock of the scene. This was anything but an earthquake. This was terrorist attack. And the planes were bombers.

"Holy shit," said Taylor.

"What the fuck is happening?!" Dana hollered. Joining us from behind with the others.

"ConDef," said Freddy. "It's bloody ConDef."

"I thought they weren't supposed to attack here!" Hayden muttered. "I thought only San Fran was supposed to evacuated! I thought we were safe!"

"You thought wrong, Hayden," I said. "You thought wrong."

Then suddenly, my phone begins to buzz and ring. Our phones begin to ring. Everyone's phones are ringing a strange sound from our devices.

We all pull out our phones to receive a strange glitching screen at appeared to transmitting some strange on-screen message. A message from a creepy old man in grey hair and a ConDef uniform. A terrorist message broadcasting to every device citywide.

"This is General Elias Alkaline of the Continuum Defense Front. You are not safe. Chrysalis cannot save you now. Chrysalis has lost. You are to surrender your lives to us now. Death is no disgrace. Death is honorable to our kindness. Eon aeternum."

After the message, one of the bombers fly near us to unload its bomb to descent. The bomb hits house on the block and erupts it into a bombastic explosion destroying the house entire.

Everyone panics, shrieks, hollers, and clamors at the near-death explosion. A fucking bomb almost blew our house to orbit and now we were about to get caught in the crossfire. The frat patrons now run off into the streets clamoring away in fear retreating for their lives.

"Oh my god, Victoria!" Taylor cried. "What do we do?!"

"Everyone, let's get off the streets!" Freddy yelled. "Now!"

Freddy appears to be wanting to follow us somewhere away from the bombing. The rest of us wonder.

"Where are you taking us?!" I shout.

"Just follow me!" Freddy shouted back. "Hurry!"

Only ten second of noticing Berkeley was under a ConDef attack and already my boyfriend wants to be a hero. Wherever he was taking us, it was either follow him or get ourselves killed.

While the seven of us run down the road on the block, running through the crowd of college students, the whole neighborhood was taking a clamoring too. People running out of their homes, cars racing down the street that almost run us over with their horns honking, and people recording this with their cellphones. Standing there in the driveways.

If they want to just stand there die and recording their last video on their phones, hoping to post it as their last video on YouTube or Instagram, that's their fate. Not mine or ours.

"Freddy, where the fuck are you taking us?!" I snap.

"You and Taylor get to my house and stay there!" Freddy ordered. "Hayden, you and the rest of the girls follow me to my truck!"

"Freddy!"

"Just do it, Victoria!"

Without an argument, we split up the group up. Taylor and I follow the way to Freddy's house while Hayden went with Freddy to the truck taking Courtney, Dana, and Juliet with them.

When we separate ourselves in this flash parish, Taylor makes me run through a dirt path between the houses for a shortcut.

"C'mon, Victoria!" She yells. "This way!"

Taylor knew the way to Freddy's house as I did. Since we both been there a bunch of times before. Smart girl knows her shortcuts somehow.

I run through the dirt road to the next block in the neighborhood being bombed like Pearl Harbor. Whatever Freddy has planned to get us out of this, I just hope he doesn't get everyone else killed.

"What the hell is going on?!" Taylor shouted.

"We're being attacked by ConDef!" I muttered. "That's what's going! Keeping running!"

I haven't experienced this much catastrophe since the storm of Arcadia Bay caused by Neo-Chrysalis. Nor have I experienced this much terror since the Blackwell shooting. Nor seen this much oppression since the Triple 4 invasion in Portland. But this was nothing alike either.

We were almost to the house. Freddy's home was just in front of us on the next block we run to.

"There's Freddy's house!" I shouted. "This way, Taylor! C'mon! It's not safe out here!"

We run over to the front of my boyfriend's home and make it to the front door. I sprint through the front door and open it for Taylor to run inside.

"Get inside!" I shout.

I pull her inside and shut the door behind us. Freddy and the others weren't here yet and we still weren't any safe indoors than we were outdoors. A bomb could drop on us in any minute and we wouldn't know.

This was no time for waiting. Saying prayers, Freddy might already have the truck and must be on his way now to find us with the rest of the group.

"Where the hell is Freddy?" Taylor asked. "He should be here."

A mass tremor pummels through our feet inside the house from a nearby explosion. Making us loose our footing and balance ourselves off the floor. We had to bail quickly.

"We can't stay here any longer," I said. "We're not gonna die here! Come on!"

The two of us run to the backdoor for our escape. When I try pushing the door open, it wouldn't budge.

"It's jammed!" I mutter. "Help me out!"

Taylor joins me at the door to help me push it open. Ready to bust through.

"Okay, three, two, one, push!" I shout.

We push the door open. Back into the bombing. Back to our near deaths from above. Back to our matters of life and death experience.

And so it was.

* * *

James – Age 46 (POV)

Rose – Age 44

July 9th, 2017

2:55 PM

San Francisco, California

San Francisco City Hall

 **25 minutes earlier…**

I sit down at the table in the lounge having a cup of coffee and staring at a picture of my wife, daughter, and her boyfriend Frank under the Hollywood sign we had taken a few years back when Rachel came back to me alive and well. The television screen in the room was on with the news broadcasting a recording of Admiral Penske and President Trump giving their war speeches at the Lincoln Memorial on Capital Hill in Washington, D.C.

I sip on me coffee thinking about my family safety from this country's conflict with ConDef after their recent attack on Seattle. Mostly my daughter's. Since she was in Vancouver performing on her show with Frank, I'd imagine she'd be safe with him away from this conflict between Chrysalis and the CDF.

Rose and I were stunned at Rachel's dance performance in So You Think You Can Dance. My wife's heart was melting and my face was smiling. Since the darkest day of our lives when we discovered Rachel had died back in Arcadia Bay and attended her funeral, we never thought she'd come back from the dead just to shine lightness upon our darkness on television.

I remember being told by Karen Carter, an attorney I once worked with in the District Attorney's office, telling me my daughter was alive and well at a bar here in San Fran. How out of nowhere turned out to be a rogue fugitive from Chrysalis during the Arcadia Bay Versus Max Caulfield case three years ago. I never knew how she was alive, but at the very least was relieved the girl Sera Gearhardt gave birth to had survived her dark room incident with Mark Jefferson. But also astounded of how she criminalized herself helping Max escape the Blackwell shooting.

Nevertheless, after the Triple 4 attack in Portland from Neo-Chrysalis, my wife and I were proud to see our daughter's face arrive at our doorstep in the home we moved in here in San Fran. When she did, she told us the truth of what occurred after the dark room, how she was brought back by Chrysalis, and how she was forced to work as an agent before her return.

Rachel even told me how much she had to come up with lies and secrets of her own. The way I had shielded her from the truth about Sera. As well as how deceptive she became in betraying her own friends to Neo-Chrys the way I betrayed my career working above the law in plotting to murder Sera with Damon Merrick seven years earlier. Telling her father that she and I were now even with each other and could now relate our deceptions and make it easier for us to learn from them. That was when my family rebuilt what it started. A new beginning. A new chapter.

Today I was to negotiate the safety of San Francisco from ConDef with the Chrysalis defense committee in the congress meeting room here at City Hall. Evacuations in San Fran began today and the lives in this city was now in my hands. As well as the responsibility of SF Spectre. The Chrysalis stronghold here in San Fran.

Congressman Anders walked in the lounge. Reporting my summons.

"Senator Amber," said Anders.

"Congressman Anders," I said.

"We need to go. The defense committee wants to see you."

"Sounds important."

I get off the table and walk with Anders out of the lounge and into halls to the meeting room where the committee was waiting. Even after four years in the senate representing Chrysalis, I still felt nervous about what to say. And yet confident the committee would listen to my sense of politics.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Couldn't say," replied Anders. "Just told me they needed you. Now."

By the time we marched down the hall, people were walking past us as if they were in a hurry for something. Don't know why, but if the committee needs me this badly, this was no time for mystery.

Then I see my wife Rose walking through the crowd to see her sharp dressed husband ready for the day.

"Rose," I said.

"Mrs. Amber," said Anders.

"You look good, James," said Rose. "Maybe a little soft around the edges."

I hug my wife. Anders leaves us to walk alone without him and to the meeting to see the committee.

"How are you holding up since our daughter's performance on her show and hearing the news about Seattle?" Rose asked.

"It's not so bad once you get used the hot coffee and bombarding politics," I replied.

"We'll get it sorted out."

"What's going on? Why's everyone in such a hurry?"

"Admiral Penske is mobilizing the evacuations. I'm guessing word's has made it to Chrysalis Command. Something big's headed our way."

"ConDef?"

"We don't know. Not for certain."

"What else could it be?"

"If I knew that…"

"It's ConDef. And we're not ready for them. Not by a longshot."

"Tell that to the defense committee."

"Unless we're planning to talk ConDef to death, the committee is a waste of time."

"They're just scared. None of them have seen what you've seen. We've all reviewed your reports, seen the evidence you collected, but it's all just theory to us. David Madsen's been there. In the trenches. Fighting them. Because of him, you know what they're capable of."

"That why we left Arcadia Bay? Resigning from the District Attorney's office?"

"You know that's not true. The shit you've done, any human being would've been tried, prison sentenced, and discharged. You plotted to murder Sera Gearheardt with a criminal just to keep our daughter happy. And yet here you are as an honorable senator representing Chrysalis propaganda."

"My deception in taking Sera out of the picture wouldn't compare to any blind betrayal against the senate. Nor Chrysalis's cause. I betrayed one career, I'll be fucked if I ever betrayed another."

"It's your knowledge of ConDef that kept that from happening."

"That and your good word?"

"Yeah. I trust you, James. And so does the committee."

"I'm just a politician, Rose. I'm no soldier."

"I don't need you to be either. I just need you to do whatever the hell it takes to help us stop ConDef."

The two of us walk to the reception counter in the visitor's lobby where a secretary sees us coming in. I expect her to let us in.

"They're expecting you two, Senator," said the secretary.

When the secretary allows us entry, I could see Anders standing next to the door to the meeting room. Guess this is him wishing my good luck.

"Good luck in there, Amber," said Anders.

Rose and I step inside the meeting room where the committee awaits us. Every politician from senators, congressmen, ambassadors, and everyone else gathers around to take a seat in the meeting room in front of the big desk where the committee sits down to hear my words.

A window behind the desk overlooks an amazing view of San Francisco. That always lightens the mood.

As everyone sits down, my wife walks with up to the front of the room to face the defense committee. She stands back watching me speak to support her husband.

"Senator James Amber," said a Chrysalis counselor part of the committee.

"What's the situation?" I ask.

"We were hoping you would tell us."

A man in a suit walk over to me to hand over a folder of a report from Chrysalis about possible ConDef presence. I take from him to look at it.

"The reports coming in are unlike anything we've seen," said a female counselor. "Whole cities have gone dark. We've lost contact with everything beyond the American Division."

"Whatever this is," said the other counselor. "It's incomprehensibly powerful."

"You brought me here to confirm what you already know," I said. "ConDef is here."

The political crowd behind me begins to murmur. I'm not one for handling crowds to often, but I often handle them well when need be.

"Then…how do we stop them?" The female counselor asked.

"Stop them?" I asked. "This isn't about strategy or tactics. This is about survival. ConDef is more advanced than we are. More powerful. More intelligent. They don't fear us and they'll never take pity on us."

"But…there must be some way."

"Each of us has to be willing to did to save humanity. Anything less, and they've already won."

"That's it?" The male counselor questioned. "That's our plan?"

"Senator, we've lost contact with SF Spectre," said the secretary in the meeting room. Receiving sudden reports from Chrysalis.

"The Chrysalis base?" Rose thought. "They couldn't be that close already."

"How'd they get past our defenses?" The female counselor thought.

"Sir, SF headquarters has a visual," said the secretary.

Everyone in the room including my wife and I and the committee turn our heads to the monitors in the meeting room. At first we see nothing but static, but when faint visual turns visible enough for us to see clearly, this is when the excitement begins.

A Chrysalis soldier merges his head towards the screen attempt to alert a distress call. Then a loud explosion is heard on screen. The crowd gets off their seats to stand up and watch in shock. The signal is lost, but then another signal picks up.

News feed from every news channel such as CNN, Fox, NBC, and CBS broadcast feed of a Chrysalis attack occurring here in San Francisco. As well as places across the globe such as Europe and the middle east.

"Why haven't we heard from Admiral Penske?" Rose asked.

"What do we do?" The counselor asked.

I march up to the desk to give them the answer they want.

"They only thing we can," I reply. "We fight or we die."

The committee looked upset. The city was under attack. The world was under attack. We were under attack and they were just being told this now.

"We should get out of here," said Rose.

Then more footage is shown on screen. This time the monitors were hacked with a message from ConDef broadcasting city wide. The screen displayed a message of ConDef's leader, Elias Alkaline.

"This is General Elias Alkaline of the Continuum Defense Front. You are not safe. Chrysalis cannot save you now. Chrysalis has lost. You are to surrender your lives to us now. Death is no disgrace. Death is honorable to our kindness. Eon aeternum."

When the signal is cut off and the message stops playing, a tremor is felt under us. Explosions are heard from outside.

The committee turn their heads to the windows behind them. My wife and I look through the window with everyone else in the crowd as well. And what we see is precisely what I predicted.

"Oh my god," said the female counselor.

There were planes in the air dropping bombs on buildings. ConDef bombers to be exact. Setting San Francisco on fire. Our faces are in shock at this horror caused by this terror.

Then suddenly, a ConDef jet flew right towards the window firing a missile towards us. A missile that was about to blow us away.

"Move!" I holler.

I instantly reach for my wife and leap onto her for safety. Then boom. An explosion caused by the incoming rocket blows away the window and the front desk. Killing the defense committee in front of us spontaneously.

I'm knocked out for a second or two. There is ringing in my ears. I can hear people screaming and clamoring in a panic for mercy. I can smell dust and rubble from the explosion. My face is scathed and my clothes are scathed. A cut on the cheek, bruise on the head, coat and tie torn, and my hair drooping from the shock.

When my hearing clears, I can see my wife on ground on unconscious. A fire and a hole through the window from the explosion alongside desk totaled from it too. And the committee lying dead on the floor with bodies charred from the impact. There are other people still in the room in distress as well.

I run over to Rose to wake her up from her unconsciousness.

"Rose! Rose!" I call to her.

I turn her body over to see her body just as scathed as mine, but I knew there had to be some life left in her. I check for a pulse and shack her body to wake her.

"Rose, wake up!" I shout. "Wake up! We're under attack!"

She moans awake. Her eyes gradually moving and her lips opening.

"James…wha – what happened?" Rose moans. "What's going on?"

"Come on, Rose," I tell her. "Get up. We gotta get out of here."

Once she wakes up and on her feet, ConDef soldiers come marching through the explosion hole into the meeting room and aim their guns on us and everyone else left in the room. They order us to freeze and not move. To get down on the ground with out hand behind our heads. This was a hostage halt.

Before Rose and I could do as we're told, a ConDef trooper approaches me and knocks me on the head with the stock of his rifle. Rendering me unconscious once again. And holding us hostage.

 **Note: Happy Super Bowl weekend everyone! For those living in the US that is. I may have forgot to mention that last Monday was my birthday and I turned 20. So which me all happy late birthday and a happy late big two-o. And enjoy the Super Bowl if you're all watching. I'm hoping to get a tease of Solo: A Star Wars Story coming in May when it's on. I'll also be chowing on some Buffalo Wild Wings too.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden everyone. Thank you.**


	12. Outskirts

Chapter 12 Outskirts

Cayce

July 12th, 2017

10:29 AM

San Francisco, Califonia

Lower Haight

 **Present day…**

My head is weary, my ears are ringing, and my vision is blurry tempting to recover from the crash. Now I'm coughing dust having landed on my back from the impact through the building. Another happy landing. Just like Seattle, right?

"Hey, wake up!" Kristine muttered as I actually woke up. Finding myself waylaid in the hold of the downed VTOL.

Kris helps me up with her hand when I'm fully conscious and on my toes. Ready to use them to take my boots back in the field.

I could see David and Mason already out of the downed bird and our pilots in the cockpit KIA. One of these days an RPG rocket is gonna blow us into oblivion without a disabled landing. No question.

"Shake it off, Valor!" David ordered. "Clear the crash site and let's move."

I step out of the derelict VTOL with Kristine to join David and Mason outside the crash site. Resuming the mission.

"Mason, casualty report," ordered David.

"Pilots are killed in action, Madsen," replied Mason. "Everyone else is checked in and accounted for."

"HQ, this is Valor One. We've crash landed in Lower Haight and our VTOL and pilots are DOA. How much farther to City Hall?"

 _"_ _City Hall is just five clicks ahead of you. But be advised, you have multiple ConDef closing in on your twelve. They definitely know where you are where you're headed."_

"Copy. Do you have a sitrep on Valor Two?"

 _"_ _Valor Two just barely survived the RPG ambush and have crash landed in Hayes Valley. No casualties on the ground team and they're on route to City Hall as we speak."_

"Wilco. Valor One out."

When we proceed into the outskirts of San Fran, it's a nightmare. Totaled cars, crumbled buildings, scorched roads, skyscrapers from afar lighting up like chimneys during Christmas time, and no survivors. And this all happened three days ago?

"Look at this place," said Kristine. "I thought Portland had it bad three years ago. I can't even compare that to this. I was born in San Fran you know. I used to love it here."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kris," I said. "I used to come here too."

"We can talk grievances later, Kris," said David. "Right now, we get to City Hall and get Senator Amber out of there. Mason tracking gear still online? Are we on route?"

"Affirmative, Commander," said Mason. Looking at the tracking map. "HQ was correct. We're still only five cliques away. We can cut through the alleys for a quicker window."

"Then that's our route. Let's move Valor. Into the alleys. On me."

David takes point into the alleys and the three of us follow his lead. Captain Cage and the rest of Valor Two crash landed in Hayes Valley as HQ said. That's only down the road ahead. Maybe we could catch up with them there?

When we've entered the alleys, we could hear a sudden whoosh noise above our heads. Coming from the rooftops. We raise our guns up high to investigate.

"What was that?" Kris asked.

The whoosh noises came closer and closer. I believe I know that noise from anywhere and it wasn't good.

Suddenly, two soldiers in heavy hazmat armor with electromagnetic backpacks zoomed into our path like the speed of lightning. ConDef strikers were now in front of us opening fire.

"Strikers! Get down!" Mason warned.

We take evasive action and get behind cover when the bullets from the strikers' SMGs open fire. No more than three minutes deployed on the ground and we're already fighting strikers. I've fought enough of these fuckers already back in Bolivia and Portland. The ones from El Eterno and Neo-Chrys. Now my worst nightmare is in league with ConDef. Just what I need.

We couldn't just here sit behind cover. We had to fight back. And we did by open firing with our rifles to fight back against the strikers. Before they advance next to our cover with their thruster packs like they usually do.

David ordered us to fire back as we did. Before they could advance on us. I shoot on striker down in front with ease, but the other dashes straight into our cover to advance and shoot us by the side. Not before David could shoot his thruster pack apart to his knees and pop his head in with a single bullet. Close call, Commander. Close call.

"God, I hate those things," I said.

"Better get used to them, Corporal," said David. "Cause next time I might not think fast enough to save your skin. Move out."

Pushing through the alleys are like any other skirmish I've ever been in my years in Chrysalis. ConDef soldiers come running through the alleys like rabid dogs and come shooting at us one by one. The four of us get behind cover against a dumpster or concrete fences and shoot back at the opposing force.

Even more strikers join in with the squadron of ConDef troopers to give us more leverage in the alleys. This time, David doesn't take care of one for me like he did minutes ago. I handle one myself.

When one of the pacts of ConDef soldiers are neutralized, radio chatter from one of ours comes on. It was from Valor Two.

 _"_ _Commander! Come in, Commander! This is Private Wheeler! Over!"_

"Flint, is that you?" David asked. "Where are you?"

 _"_ _I'm pinned down by multiple ConDef in Hayes Valley! They're all over me!"_

"Is Cage with you?"

 _"_ _No! I got separated from the others in the crash! I can't hold them off alone! Oh shit!"_

"Hang tight, Private! We're coming to ya! Valor, double time! Now!"

David

July 12th, 2017

10:41 AM

San Francisco, California

Hayes Valley

The four of us sprint through the alleys double time responding to Flint's distress call from Hayes Valley. Running between the buildings in the outskirts of San Fran, gunfire was heard closer and closer to our ears and we weren't gonna stand back let it be music to our ears. We had to help the rook fast.

Once we've reached Hayes Valley, we could see the private hiding back behind some sandbags blind firing his rifle at the swarming ConDef forces advancing to towards him. As well as the downed VTOL was riding in with Cage and the other three in the team.

"Look! Down there!" Cayce shouted. "Behind the sandbags!"

We got a bird's eye view from a corner in the alley adjoining the courtyard in Hayes where Flint was in distress from ConDef.

"Jesus, he's all alone?!" Kristine muttered. "Where the fuck is Cage?! Where did everyone go in the crash?!"

There was a turret mounted on another wall of sandbags closer to use. We could use it give Flint some support and ConDef some leverage.

"Kris, get on that turret to help Flint!" I order. "Cayce, Mason, let's get down there!"

Kristine hurries to the turret and gets on it when she does. The rest of us sprint and hustle to Wheeler keeping his head down and give him suppressing fire with our rifles to make sure we're not shot on the way down and Flint doesn't lose his head.

Eventually, we all reach our positions. Cayce, Mason, and I taking cover next to Flint and Kristine on the gun for support on her end.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Commander!" Flint praised. "I thought I was done for on the first mission!"

"Better fight harder if you want to live, greenhorn!" I shout. "Kristine, light 'em up!"

 _"_ _You got it!"_ She responds.

While the four of us behind the sandbags shoot back at the ConDef infantry, Kris lights up the LMG and opens fire to flank the enemy. Mowing down every tango in sight faster than we do.

Even with one wave of ConDef down, another spawn in with striker reinforcements this time. At least the strikers are no match for Kris's gun like the infantry before them. And even though the strikers are quicker than the next wave of infantry supported by them, the turret is stronger and more powerful than them. Which doesn't compare to the enemy more power than turrets and strikers.

When the wave of strikers and infantry are neutralized, a door down in front on the far side of the courtyard is kicked down by heavy bruisers in heavy armor carrying heavy weapons with their heavy ass hands. Two ConDef juggernauts were now knocking on the door and when the juggernauts come knocking, they come spraying bullets out of their LMGs.

"Juggernauts, get down!" I order.

The four of us tuck our heads down as the bullets flicker past us faster than a hurricane. Chipping on the concrete and dinging on the metal of the downed VTOL.

Before we let Kristine do anything about the gabbling brutes, a grenade from above us is thrown down in the courtyard between us and the juggernauts. The grenade tossed rolls down towards them and ignites a chrononic pulse that traps them in a stasis field. It was a time grenade that was thrown at them.

Then suddenly, a rocket is fired above our hairs and blast the juggernauts into inferno dust. Killing the two more instantly than Kristine's gun could.

When the juggernauts are scorched earth, we look above us to see Major Heard with an RPG at her trigger finger. As well as Cage, Logos, and Newblood standing on the rooftop on top of us with her.

"Ya know, the kid was your responsibility, Madsen," said Heard. "Not ours."

All sarcasm aside, Valor Two all slide down some ropes to the ground floor in the courtyard to regroup. Kristine took notice of them when the rocket was blasted to where the pair of juggernauts feet were and formed up with all of us when they did.

"Major Heard, Captain Cage, what the fuck were you thinking leaving the kid behind like that?!" I muttered. "He would've been killed without our help!"

Valor Two got off their ropes and Cage walked in front of me to scold.

"He was unconscious when we crashed, Commander!" The captain muttered back. "We weren't just gonna leave him behind."

"And yet you did. Good soldiers don't leave good men behind."

"Noted, Madsen."

"Let's settle down, kids," interrupted Heard. "We've got bigger fish to fry than leaving the greenhorn to die. Don't ya think?"

"She's not wrong, Captain," said Newblood. "We've got our mate Senator Amber to save still as matter of fact. Not opinion."

"Alright, Madsen, why don't you take the kid this time," said Cage. "Like Heard said. He's your responsibility. Mason, you come with us."

"Yes, Captain," said Mason.

"Okay, Valor. Listen up. HQ has tracked ConDef posted all of City Hall. They're holding hostages their including James Amber. We're gonna need to approach stealthily if we're gonna take him alive. Any open assault approach and Amber and the other hostage will wound up dead. Lieutenant Mason, pull up the map on your tracker."

"Understood," he replied.

Mason projected a map of city hall on his tracker screen to show everyone what to do.

"Since we can't take any chances guns and blazing," says Cage. "Valor Two will sneak in from the rear of the compound while Valor One will sneak in from the front. Suppressors and flashbangs are necessary if need be. Anything else and the mission is compromised. Once we've secured Amber and the other hostages in the Hall, we'll need to clear the vicinity of ConDef so evac can arrive to extract them to SF Spectre."

Mason switched off the projection on his tracker when Cage's briefing wraps up.

"You know your orders, Valor," continued Cage. "Above all, protect the senator. There and back again. Ooh-rah?"

"Ooh-rah, Captain," replied Flint.

"Mm-hmm. Let's split up Valor. To City Hall we go. Mason, come with me. Wheeler you go with, Madsen. That's order. Move out!"

Mason goes with Cage while Flint is split with my team as ordered. The captain's team marches down back into the alleys while Cayce, Kristine, Flint, and I say our prayers before we split up to our window.

"I got to say," said Kristine. "I love it when Heard is feisty with her artillery. Especially with the new time grenades and an RPG combined."

"Tell me about it," said Cayce.

"Let's move out, Valor," I said. "This is where the excitement begins."


	13. Always A Traveler

Chapter 13 Always A Traveler

Max

July 12th, 2017

7:33 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

It had taken us a week for Bryan to fly Alex and I here to Greece and the others to Italy. Great thing my Uncle's a pilot. Otherwise, we'd spend hundreds of dollars more just to get a flight to where we need to go to find the documented sites from Ezra's journal.

Other than going to Paris, France with Chloe and family for a Christmas vacation like the McCallisters from "Home Alone", I've never been to this east end of the world in Europe. Not in Greece that is. At least now I know what it was like for Alex to go to Paris before I was born.

The weather in Greece this time of year wasn't the finest nor the worst this time of year, but we still put on our warmest clothes for this cold summer in a European country. In the meantime, Bryan flew his plane around the perimeter of Mount Olympus after dropping us off to be our eye in the sky and to prepare for pick when ready.

I stare at map we took of Mount Olympus to find the location of the secret crypt holding the Mind, Soul, and Power shards. We were specifically looking for the power shard since the other two were already in Ares's hands. Hoping we would find it before ConDef does.

Speaking of ConDef, they had already arrived here in Greece already setting up posts on the mountain to find the crypt for themselves. Meaning Joanna and Alkaline are likely to be here to. Alex could see the bands of ConDef soldiers from afar planting dynamite to blow Mount Olympus to bits just to find the crypt. Mostly at the old cathedral miles away.

"Joanna's really going all in, isn't she?" Alex asked.

"Well, they're all concentrated around the cathedral," I said. "So that's good."

I take my binoculars to scope the cathedral occupant from ConDef. I turn my sightings rightward to look down on the graveyard where Ezra Prescott was presumably buried. The entry we're taking to get to the crypt.

"Cuz we are gonna have that graveyard to ourselves," I said.

I put away my binoculars to pull out my walkie-talkie and contact Bryan.

"Bryan," I said.

 _"_ _Yeah?"_ He answered.

I walk over to where I could see Bryan now docking his plane in the water to wait for our pickup. His plane had landing gear that could float on water.

"Hey, listen," I said. "We're good to go here."

 _"_ _Okay, Max,"_ he said. _"Happy hunting."_

"Last chance to come with."

 _"_ _Oh well. Unless you find me an escalator, I think I'll pass."_

I chuckle.

"Alright, see ya in a few," I said, waving down to Bryan. Staring back up from the hatch of his plane.

 _"_ _Hey, Max,"_ said Bryan.

"Yeah?"

 _"_ _Just um…just bring me back something shiny. Will ya?"_

"That's the plan."

"Well, let's go pay our respects to Professor Prescott, huh?" Alex asked.

We walked across the pale grass, or grickle grass in the words of Dr. Suess, on the mountain to proceed down the path to the graveyard. Avoiding contact with the ConDef forces sited here as much as we can.

I just remembered the text Rachel had sent me a few days ago that ConDef just hit San Francisco harder than Seattle. Her parents were still there and hadn't heard from them since. Making her severely worried about her safety. I kept texting her back for an update and told her to hope for the best the more she said no news. The sooner this war ends they we want to, the better.

I've also remembered the text Chloe's been sending me about evacuation arrangements in Portland since Chrysalis was stationed there as well and may just be hit by ConDef next. As well as an update on my Vancouver job I've lied about for the past week in a half. All because my life is now being sabotaged by this war too. Once again, once a traveler, always a traveler.

To think the power I was given in a Blackwell restroom is all linked to a secret history of time travel the Herd of Whales kept hidden from the Arthurian period to the present. Only to know half the picture of things from 'that' week to Triple 4.

I must wonder how all the other time travelers before me got their powers they never asked for. Not even Crosby could tell me as a member of herd. It's a pity my powers couldn't evince when Alex was shot in the sewer and instead when Chloe was shot in the bathroom just eleven months later. Damn the irony.

"Greek cathedral," said Alex. "Strange place to bury some cosmic shards, ya know?"

"Not really," I said. "By the time Ezra would've sailed here, the place was already abandoned."

"I guess that's true. Plus, with the massive bounty on his head and no place to hide. So, uh…what happened between you and Joan after the sewer?"

"I couldn't deal with her. I'm pretty sure she had enough of me. I was still coming to grips with your death and her frustration from our museum break-in. I'm pretty sure she was ready to expel me by the time I was suspended with Fernando and Kristen."

"I'll bet on it."

"Alex, listen. She's ruthless. Even more so than when she was our principle. I could see that look in her eye when she had the dagger on me and when we saw her in that lair. You know how she is now working with terrorist to get her way."

"That's never been more apparent to me than it has now, Max. I'm glad you caught how much she's changed since too. You made her big brother sound even more malicious working with Neo-Chrys than herself. Not to mention her nephew almost killed your girlfriend in a dirty ass bathroom. Ruthlessness and terrorism must run in the family."

"Not all of the Prescotts were as corrupt and ruthless as Sean, Joan, and Nathan. I've met Kristine and Caroline a couple times and they turned out to be different people. Even if they were once part of the herd."

As our feet paced on the grass and dirt of the mountain, we reached a cliffside we needed to get down from. Alex whistled reacting to the height from the top were we stood and the bottom to where we should be.

"That's a long drop," she said.

"Yeah, we need to find another way down," I said.

I spot a tree stump that we can use to tie some rope on and rappel down from it. The two of us brought climbing rope with us to use in cases like these.

"Hey, this should hold," I said.

"Good call," said Alex.

I may be not much of a rope climber my cousin is, but the two of us rappel down on the rope to get down the cliff with ease. Using the tree stump we tie around it with.

Once we're down, I notice something wrong with the picture. There were crates and military equipment lying around in the grass. With a map lying on one crate. Ones from our new foes, of course.

"What the hell is all this?" I asked.

"It's excavation equipment," replied Alex.

There was a CDF logo printed on one of the crates carrying the excavation tools.

"ConDef?" I thought.

"What?" Alex wondered.

"Look, I thought they were just by the cathedral?"

"Guess we were wrong."

"Yeah, nice to meet you too, ConDef. Looks like they're expecting us."

"And life they're searching away from the cathedral."

"Which means we should get to that graveyard pronto."

"Exactly."

Were it so easy taking a walk in the park without avoid ConDef vermin. The most fearsome quantum terrorist group since Neo-Chrysalis in our trip to graveyard dying to get in. As long as we don't die in one of ConDef's mouse traps, the cheese shouldn't taste too sour getting past Alkaline's army.

Proceeding to our anticipated destination, we come across more ConDef supply. Only this time, it wasn't just a simple excavation area. More like a small camp in an area next to an ancient living quarters. With explosives being carried in crates too. Dynamite specifically.

"What is this place?" Alex asked.

"Monks had several living quarters," I replied. "Main one being by the graveyard, of course."

"Ha, location, location, location. More ConDef equipment."

"At least no ConDef troopers."

Then a distant explosion was heard from somewhere on the mountain. ConDef blowing shit up with dynamite guarantee.

There was a damaged door blocking the entry to the old living quarters we could enter push through the mountain. If we could use the dynamite supplied here, it could get us through the door. I check one crate I see that might be carrying some.

"Now what do you bet…yep," I say, opening the crate to find what I needed. "Dynamite."

"Eh, be careful with that stuff, huh?" Alex asked.

If I do set this stick of dynamite in my hand off, either it'd attract attention or blend in with the explosions hear far away. Either way, we were getting through that door.

I take out a match from my pocket to light the stick and toss it to the door like a grenade as it's lit. Then boom goes the dynamite. Blasting the door into timbers and allowing us through.

"Hey, I got the door open," I said.

"That was…very loud," said Alex. "Hopefully they didn't hear us."

"Well hopefully we just blend in with the other explosions."

We walk into the living quarters and see a hole in the wall we could climb through to get up to the cliff above. But we would need something to boost ourselves upward and it would take more than cupping our hands for a leg up.

"Look, there's a way up through the roof," I said. "It's to high for a boost though."

"Well, let's find something to climb on?" Alex asked.

"Yeah."

The simplest thing we could do was find a big yellow box on wheels printed with the ConDef logo and use it to us up the hole in the roof. We push the box together, roll it down inside the quarters and against the wall where we climbing over it as our stepping block. Then we're back on solid ground higher up the mountain.

On the higher ground, we enter a dead end to another narrow cliff. Only this time, there was no climbing down but rather swinging across. There was a branch sticking on the side of a cliff that we could use our rope to swing across.

"There's an exposed branch we can use to get across," said Alex. "You think you can rope it?"

"Do I think I can rope it?" I asked laughably. "Huh. How 'bout do I think I can swing across it. The answer is no."

"Oh, boo-hoo. Max is afraid. Can't swing across a chasm. Just rope the damn branch."

"Mm. Watch this."

"I'm watching."

I take the rope from Alex and I swing it towards the branch and I miss.

"Uh…I miss," I said guiltily.

Alex chuckled.

"That's what you get for bragging, sista. Here let me show you."

Before Alex shows me. I reel the rope back to me and swing it over to the branch again and it lassos onto the branch this time.

"Ha, see?" I asked.

"That's not bad," said Alex. "For a second attempt."

"Here we go."

Getting the rope onto the branch was the easiest part. Getting onto even higher ground was the real task at hand.

I swing across the chasm with the rope and grasp onto the ledge of the cliff on the other side. Though some of the ledge I climb on break a chunk or two, they're not enough to make me plummet to my doom.

I use the rope again to climb higher on the cliff and swing towards another platform. By wall running on the cliff with the rope and then jumping toward platform and safely landing on it with my feet. And Alex said I was afraid. If I'm not afraid to shoot bottles in the "American Rust" for a former junkyard queen, I'm not afraid to swing across chasms like George of the jungle for my big cousin.

"Alright, you think you can do that?!" I shout.

"What are you talking about?!" Alex shouts back. "I taught you that move."

"Yeah, like eleven years ago, you did," I said. "Alright, let's see it then."

Alex doesn't even think twice as usual. The fearless chum she is, she swings quicker than Indiana Jones and climbs faster than Tarzan to make it to where I stand. And then she's where I stand.

"There, you see?" She asked.

"That was clumsy," I said.

I have to use the rope again to swing around another ledge to get to the highest platform yet. I attach the rope to another expose branch and swing to the ledge I grasp on to climb up to where a ladder dangles from the edge of the higher ground. I was going to need Alex's help for this.

"Alex, there's a ladder just out of reach," I said.

"Alright, hold on," she said. "I'll come over."

Alex takes her rope and does everything I did to make it to the ledge with the ladder out of reach where I stand. I give her boost up so she could reach the ladder herself. She climbs over the ladder and on the high ground.

Then she walks around the platform to take her arm out to where I could catch it and be pulled up with. I shimmy to where her arm is hanging, grab onto it, and Alex gradually pulls me over the edge so that we both have to feet properly standing. And finally, all the heavy climbing is over.

And now, we can could see the monks' dormitory up here from as far as the eye can see.

"Alright, there it is," I said. "The monks' dorm. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away."

"Ah, don't jinx us," said Alex.

To proceed down the mountain, we would need to be doing some more daring stunts that I was only just getting used to. Something Alex is a bit more experienced I'd ever been. Something she'd been doing since she was twelve.

We would need to slide down a rockslide and jump onto another cliff to hang onto and shimmy across the ledges. As much as I'm shitting pants looking down the rockslide to a danger cliff, I really hope my jinx didn't work either. Here we go.

As the two of us slide down the rockslide, my ass was burning getting scrapping with rock and to the bottom. Alex calls it fun. I call it painful.

When we do get to the bottom and jump onto the cliff ledges, Alex say she could do this all day. Then I shush her when I here voices below us. The voice of ConDef mercs patrolling the soft ground.

There were three soldiers on patrol. One of them splits from them below my shoes where I shimmy on the ledge. The other two in a pair.

When the ConDef troop pauses below me, I quietly drop onto him and knock him out with my feet. Alex quietly drops back in the grass with me and we stay hidden in some tall grass tiptoeing to the other guards. I take the right one. Alex takes the left one.

I seize my guy by the neck, wrestle him in the grass, and break his throat open. Alex does the same to her armed guard.

"Gonna have to do better than that fellas," she said.

"Let's see if we can keep this up," I said.

In front of the downed guards, we were getting closer to the dormitory. In fact, the ancient dorms were just in front of our eyes now. With the front gate dead ahead of us.

We approach the old wooden gate before us to open it. So we can be one footstep away from Ezra's tomb. To open the gate, it would once again take to muscles strengths to open like always.

"Hey, give me a hand," I ask Alex.

The two of us knew the drill. We raise the gate open with our bare hand together so one of us could slip through and hold it from the other side. Alex take the other end, and I quickly swift under the gate before she released it to shut it again.

"And we're here," I said.

Alex laughed.

"Yes we are," she said.

We walk into the old courtyard of the monk dormitory down the path to the graveyard. Where it was now pouring snow since we were higher up the mountain. Even small blankets of snow at this elevation. It was thirty degrees where the dorms were elevated and it was time to find Ezra's grave before we froze into icicles.

In the frozen courtyard, there were some statues built for memorial value. There was also the graveyard itself we've been looking for and we now must find Ezra's grave in it.

"Jesus, look at this place," said Alex.

"Welcome to the Saint Loomis dormitory," I said. "Alleged final resting place of Ezra Prescott."

Alex chuckled.

"Let's find that grave," she said.

When entering the graveyard, there are many tombstones to search through. The one we were specifically searching for was Ezra's tomb marked with his sigil that was of a whale. The whale sigil was seen in Ezra's journal so we would know where to find it.

I search through one tomb covered in snow. Rubbing my hand on it to scrape off the snow. Although the tomb had the sigil, the birth and death dates were incorrect.

"Just like the sigil from the journal," said Alex.

"But the dates aren't right," I said.

"Well…one down and…a hell of a lot to go."

I review Ezra's journal we took with us to accurately view what detailed on his tomb. The epitaph is illustrated with the whale sigil and the dates "1859-1917" marking his lifespan from birth 'till death.

"Okay…humpback whale sigil," I said. "And the dates 1859 to 1917. We find a tombstone with both and we're in business."

"Well, let's desecrate some graves," said Alex.

"Let's."

When continuing our search, one grave is already desecrated and up to the coffins buried six feet inside. Two coffins carrying two skeletal carcasses exposed in the hole they were dug up in by their tombstone. The work of Joanna, Alkaline, and their men no doubt about it.

"Looks like Joanna's been digging around already," I said, staring at the dug grave.

"Ah, great," said Alex.

"Well, good thing she has no idea what she's actually looking for."

"Ha. No, but she could get lucky."

"Well, let's hope not."

The two of us split around the graveyard skimming through all the non-desecrated graves to find our target grave. Scrubbing the snow off the epitaphs to confirm the ID of every tomb engraved here.

Eventually, I scrap the snow off of one tomb that make me say "eureka". A humpback whale sigil and the lifespan of 1850 through 1917. Both are a match.

The name carved on the tomb is "Benedict Bridges". The alias of Ezra Prescott.

"Alex, c'mere," I call her.

"What, did you find it?" She asked running over here.

"Look. Benedict Bridges."

"That's Ezra's alias."

The was a stone skull built in the tomb that looked off about something. Couldn't tell what, but worth finding out.

"Something odd about this skull though," I said. "It's like it doesn't belong to the stone."

"Well yeah," said Alex. "What's odd about it is…that's not Ezra's sigil."

"Oh, yeah. I mean, the skull should be facing-"

I turn to Alex to say the word in unison.

"Sideways," we said.

I use my hand to turn the skull rightwards like the skull inside the whale sigil. Then the skull turned like a switch switches open something. We can hear a mechanism coming from under the snow.

A flight of stairs was being opened to reveal a secret passage underground as it descended. One that could take us to the crypt of the three Eternity Shards. Alex laughed watching the stairs descend our way below the surface. Into the crypt where the Power Shard still remain with the Mind and Soul shards already taken.

"You ready for this?" I asked.

"Oh, I've been ready for a long time," replied Alex.

"Let's see what we've got."

 **Note: Knowing I won't be posting another chapter 'till after Valentine's Day, I wish you all in two day a Happy Valentine's Day! When the 14** **th** **comes, that will be my Valentine to you all.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	14. Hostage Crisis

Chapter 14 Hostage Crisis

David

July 12th, 2017

10:58 AM

San Francisco, California

San Francisco City Hall

After treading through the San Fran outskirts from the ConDef holocaust, we're eventually at our target's destination. SF City Hall. Flooding with ConDef troops, vehicles, and choppers around every corner of the capital compound where they hold Senator Amber hostage. As well as other political beings held captive with him. A hostage crisis to be eliminated.

Cayce, Kristine, Flint, and I take out our first two tangos standing guard in the grass of the hall's courtyard stealthily. Using our suppressed rifles. Shooting them dead across the head and flat on the ground as the bullets were silenced. Two down, hundreds more to go.

We took cover behind a wall. Hidden from the ConDef convention occurring in the vicinity. Notifying HQ and Valor Two of our position.

"Cage, this is Madsen," I said. "Do you read?"

 _"_ _Loud and clear, Madsen,"_ he responded, whispering on the com. _"We've just entered the rear of the compound. What your status?"_

"We've just reached City Hall too and are now infiltrating through the front courtyard."

 _"_ _Good. Tell HQ we'll need backup once we blow this over. Cage out."_

"HQ, this is Valor One. Valor Two is infiltrating the rear of City Hall while we take the front of the compound to secure Amber. We're likely going to encounter some heavy heat from ConDef once we make exfil. Will there be any available ground units or air support to reduce resistance as well as transportation to extract the senator and other hostages to SF Spectre?"

 _"_ _We cannot confirm or deny any support once James Amber and other hostages are secure at this time, but you'll certainly need a clear ground of ConDef surrounding the compound before any extraction can be made. Just make sure the mission proceeds as planned and do whatever it takes to bring back the senator alive. HQ out."_

"Okay, Valor. Follow my lead and keep a low profile. Get caught in their sights, and we're done before we even started."

"If you've got a plan to get through this, Commander," said Cayce. "I'm open ears."

"I wouldn't be the commander otherwise, Corporal. Our best bet is to move through those trucks and jeeps where we're not so exposed and take out any resistance on my go. We can even use that grate system to our greater advantage. Just follow my lead and don't do anything gullible. Above all, we get in and take the senator alive. Am I clear?"

"Clear," said Cayce.

"Affirmative," said Kristine.

"Roger that," said Flint.

"Okay. Cayce, go with Kris and find a position parallel to mine. Greenhorn, keep up or I leave you behind. When we're down there, you move when I move. Do as I do. Understand? Let's go."

Everyone does as they're ordered. We vault over the wall and quietly land on our boots in the grass into enemy territory and the four of us split.

Cayce and Kris silently find a position on the other end of the courtyard and I take point on my end with Flint without protection. Hoping to trust a greenhorn in his second battleground wanting to see ConDef up close.

Once Cayce and Kris are on there own out of our sight, Flint and I hide behind a truck to start tiptoeing past some hostiles in stealth formation. I knew Cayce was excellent at stealth tactics well enough to help Kristine through and trusted him to be put in charge of that.

When Flint and I stepped around the corner of the truck, I order him to hold and only shoot what he can kill. There was a guard walking in front of us past the truck. We wait him out rather than neutralizing him. Then we go.

We gradually avoid detection from patrolling hostiles and then I decide to move under the trucks for cover. Flint and I together prone on the ground and crawl under the trucks to reduce detection.

Once we're crawling beneath the trucks, we see more hostiles patrolling in front and hold. Then I come up with the idea of planting explosive to cover our escape once Amber is secure and derail the heat for evac.

"We'll plant C4 to cover our escape," I said, grapping the C4 from my gear and attaching it below the truck above me. "We'll burn this place down if we have to. Cayce, make sure you and Kris plant C4 to reduce the resistance once we've secure the senator. Whenever opportunity necessary."

 _"_ _Copy,"_ replied Cayce. _"Just thinking of the same thing, Commander. Planting one right now."_

We crawl out of the truck and hide behind a jeep before we're seen by more hostiles on patrol. The was one hostile standing guard next to the vehicle we hid behind. Going to have to do away with him.

"Wheeler, take him out when the others aren't looking," I told the private.

The rookie himself holds his knife in his fingers and tiptoes behind the guard. Somewhat nervous, yet successful to cut the guard's throat open for a greenhorn. Once he's out, I hide the guard's body without detection from the following guards under another truck.

I tell the private to wait for it until our window was clear from guards. And when the opportunity comes, we go.

We take ours to the grate system I spotted earlier when looking out the area before giving the order to sneak through. I open the hatch to the grates we can crawl under to out advantage. I crawl inside first, Flint crawls in after.

Under the grates seemed to be an excellent spot for C4. I tell Flint to plant some under the platform in the grates and he does as ordered. Taking C4 from his gear and attaching it to the platform above him.

We crawled out of the grates without a single eye of a guard dog with a gun catching sight of us and we were getting closer to the front entrance of City Hall. There was a security office by the front doors and that's where I decide to enter next.

"There's the security office," I said.

The two of us march to the door without being spotted and stand next to the corner of the door to the small security office house. Ready to everyone inside out.

"I'll handle this," I said.

I bang against the door with my fist and ready my silenced pistol and combat knife in front of the door. When a guard opens the door, I bust inside, stab the guard at the door in the neck, and shoot the other two inside with my silenced gun. Clear.

There were monitors in the room. Camera's inside and outside City Hall. I stop and take a peek at the screens to search for where Senator Amber was being taken hostage.

"Cayce, we've just reached the security office by the front entrance," I said on com. "What's your twenty?"

 _"_ _Kris and I just found a way inside City Hall,"_ replied Cayce. _"We're going in. Any word from Cage?"_

"Not yet. I'm gonna look at the monitors to find our target. We'll just try to knock on the door and meet you two inside when we're done. Madsen out."

I skip through the monitors with a terminal. Switching through every camera in the compound for any sign of James Amber.

When searching the cams, all I could find was ConDef troops patrolling the halls until I find a monitor to the congress meeting room. A place where they appeared to be holding people captive.

Then finally, I had a visually on Amber. Tied to a chair and taking beating by one of the soldiers. Along with other hostages rounded up surrounding. One of the begging for mercy not hurt the senator. Target sighted.

"There," I said.

"Hey, that him," said Flint. "That's Senator Amber, isn't it?"

"Bastards are giving him a beating. And it's been three days since? Cage, Foley, do you copy?"

 _"_ _I copy, Madsen,"_ replied Cage. _"Do you have a sitrep?"_

"I've got a visual on the target held hostage in the congress meeting room. That's where we need to be."

 _"_ _Then that's our window. Alright, sun shines. On me. To the meeting room. Let's enter through here."_

"That goes for you too, Cayce. You and Kris make sure you're with us when we're there."

 _"_ _Wilco, Commander. Cayce out."_

The two of us enter the City Hall building through a hatch in the security office that take us into basement. A wine cellar where no ConDef activity was present. And where I can find a circuit breaker for the building that would help me with a plan to catch James Amber easier.

If there was a breaker in the cellar we enter in, I could flip the switch and kill the lights. Then use night vision to kill any hostiles in the building above us like pie. I would have to inform the rest of the team before doing so though. Even if it's last minute.

I do find a break through the racks of wine in the cellar and get ready to switch the off and notify the team.

"Cage, Foley," I said. "I'm shutting the power down so we could kill the lights and shoot our way to Amber like ghosts. Switch to night vision. I'll take care of the lights."

 _"_ _Good thinking, Madsen,"_ replied Cage. _"I was just thinking of the same idea. Everyone, you heard the Commander. Switch to night vision. The lights are gonna be out in any second."_

 _"_ _Switching to night vision,"_ said Cayce.

"We're gonna take these guys out in the dark?" Flint questioned. "This should be exciting."

"Don't get cocky, Flint," I said. "We won't do this for long."

We switch on our night vision goggles and our vision goes green. With a night laser sight on our suppressed riffles seen with our goggles.

I hold onto the breaker switch with my hand and flip it down. Killing the power above us and alerting the enemy of suspicious to what just happened. Hearing voice of panic from ConDef soldiers upstairs. Time to get our hands dirty.

We run up some stairs that take us to an exit out of the cellar and into the building upstairs. Once we're in the hallways of City Hall with hostiles on patrol mumbling about the dark, I give the order to shoot on sight.

"Weapons free," I order.

Flint and I shoot the guards blinded by the blackout in front of us. Without leaving a trace of us in their blinded sights. We don't even need cover before fire. Because the blackness is our cover and we simply run in gun past the blinded soldiers. Just like eating pie.

"Sweep through this area fast," I said. "They won't know how few we are in the dark."

Then we see a door open in front of us to see Cayce and Kristine come out. We almost unload on them, but ceased fire before it opened.

"Jesus, David," said Cayce. "You almost shot us. A little warned would've helped!"

"Speak for yourselves," said Flint. "There's no medal for friendly fire."

"Alright, enough," I said. "Let's not stay here for long. Amber is waiting."

Then suddenly, light were starting to come on. Lights from the backup power that was probably switched on by the enemy. Our cover was about to be blown.

"Shit, they've turned the backup power on!" I snapped. "Let's do this the old-fashioned way. Switch off your night vision."

Everyone removes their night vision googles and we now adjust back to our normal vision. Even with the lights back on, our strategy stood. We take James Amber out of here by stealth. Only this time we'll be more visible to hostiles in the building and we'll have to find spots and corners to stay hidden.

We hid behind corners, shoot some head, and knife some throats stealthily proceeding the congress room. In the meanwhile, we get a transmission from Cage.

 _"_ _Madsen, this is Cage. We've just made it to the congress room just as soon as the backup power came on. We need you here ASAP. Over."_

"We're coming to you," I replied. "Sit tight. Madsen out."

Finally, we make it to the doors to the congress room and quietly enter inside. Gradually squeezing through the doors we open gently without detection.

The four of us see Cage and the rest of the fireteam hiding behind a desk. As well as hearing woman screaming for mercy.

"No!" The female voice cried.

We tiptoe to where the Captain and his crew are hidden and hide behind the desk with them. Watching poor James Amber tied to a chair getting pelted across the face by ConDef trooper. Just as I saw him on the monitor.

The tortured senator and the brunette woman crying for his life were surrounded by other hostages lined up by soldiers in the building guarding them. I knew those faces anywhere from a small town on a bay of Oregon. Just vaguely recollecting the memory of them.

Of I course I knew the man in the chair was a district attorney once and him and the woman crying were more than just our average day hostages. And more than just people with intel on ConDef. They were none other than the parents of Rachel Amber. Blackwell Academy's former prodigal daughter and old friend of Chloe's.

I knew if I lost them in this hostage crisis, I felt like the deaths of Rachel's parentage would be on my conscience. Not on my watch.

"Please, just stop!" The woman cried.

A soldier smacked her across the head.

"Shut up, bitch!" He shouted.

Another soldier hit James in the face once more before speaking to him. The senator's face was cut and bruised from being tortured. With dreaded hair drooping on his head from the torture.

"Three days without a word from you," said the torturing soldier. "Three days with five of your political bastards killed and three days with your whore crying for mercy. And still it's not enough."

"Do what you want with me," said James. "I'll never break!"

I take notice of a hole in the wall behind a devastated desk in front of the room that looked like a rocket blew it open. As well as a ConDef truck blocking the hole and bodies piled in the room. Must be the people James got killed.

"If you won't break, James Amber," said the torturer. "Then perhaps it's time we chose the love of your life next."

"No, please!" The lady cried. Being dragged by the arm by a soldier and in front of the senator.

"Touch her, and I'll fucking kill you all!" James roared.

The torturer placed a pistol against the woman's head as tears leaked down her cheeks. Threatening to kill her if James refused to speak again.

"Tell us what Chrysalis has on us or I kill her," said the torturer.

"Rose, look at me," cried James. "It's gonna be okay. Tell Rachel her dad loves her very much. No matter happens."

Rose. Now I remember her name.

The longer the torturer had the gun on her, the more I wanted to put a bullet in his skull. But wisely.

"I can't stand watching them get tortured any longer," whispered Kristine. "I know those faces from Arcadia Bay. They deserve better than this!"

"Keep it down, Lieutenant!" Cage snapped. "Madsen, I have an idea. You sneak up on that guy holding the woman. As soon as you make the kill, we take care of the rest. Foley, Prescott, Heard, you take the right. Newblood, Logos, Mason, and I got the left. Wait for Madsen's kill on my command. Madsen, you know what to do."

Taking the pleasantry of Cage's orders, I get into position with everyone else. Cayce, Kris, and Heard crouch walk to the right side desk while Cage and the other three stay hidden behind the left side desk. I crouch down between the desk to tiptoe to the torture and knife him.

"I'll give you to the count of five," the torture warned. "Five…four…three…two…"

I jab the knife into the motherfucker's throat and the everyone else's weapons are free. The torturer releases Rose from his grasp and chokes on his blood gut open through his neck by my blade.

The other soldiers in the room are shot dead on the ground by my team's silent bullets. The house is clean and the hostages are freed. Including the senator and his wife.

The torturer I stabbed and killed drops to the floor dead. Bleeding from his gutted throat before getting the chance to kill Rose in front of James. And I finish the bastard's last word.

"One," I said for him.

Valor Team shows themselves out from the desk and free the hostages. The look on James's face is one of relief when he recognizes mine. Rose is still breaking down from the torment.

"David, is that really you?" James asked.

"In the flesh, James," I replied. "In the flesh."

I cut him loose from the chair he was tied to. The team help the other hostages out of their restraint's including Rose's and up on their feet. I help James on his feet and off the chair once I cut him free.

"Senator Amber, Captain Cage," said the captain, introducing himself. "Fireteam Valor. Admiral Penske and Captain Harvest sent us rescue you and take you back to SF Spectre. We're you'll be taken back to the Oregon safe and sound.

James scoffed.

"I knew you'd come for us," he said. "Took you long enough too. We've been trapped with those animals for days. They tortured me, killed my congressmen and representatives including Anders, and threatened to kill my wife in front of me. They even killed the defense committee when they blew a rocket through the wall. Then knocked me in the head flat."

"I think we've come a long way since Arcadia Bay, James," I said. "Though we've never seen each other much eye to eye, I believe you've met my wife once during my step-daughter's expulsion. Since then, things have changed and yet nothing has changed."

"Tell me about it. Once a soldier, always a soldier."

"And once a politician, always a politician. Thing have changed as well as nothing has changed."

"The more things change, the more they stay the same. Not telling me things I've never told myself."

Kristine catches attention to Rose crisscrossed on the floor. Still sobbing from the horrors of the hostage halt. Kris helps her up and comforts her.

"Hey, ma'am, it's okay," she said. "Your safe now. It's Rose, right? Remember me? I'm Kristine."

"I know you," said Rose, still in her breakdown. "Your Sean and Caroline's daughter. One of the Prescott's from Arcadia Bay. You're a Chrysalis soldier now?"

"It's a long story. I saw what they did to you and James before we killed the soldiers. I would've enjoyed stabbing that bastard the held a gun on you myself."

"Kristine Prescott?" James asked. "You're with the Chrysalis Corps now? Rather than Peace Corps?"

"Like I said. Long story."

"I'm sensing some history between you and the Ambers, Lieutenant?" Cayce asked.

"Not a whole lot," replied Kris. "We've crossed paths with my family and I some years back in Arcadia during a leave from Peace Corps. And that's it."

"HQ, this is Valor," said Cage on com. "We've secured Senator Amber and the other hostages in City Hall. We're clear for extraction. Over."

 _"_ _Negative Valor. We're detecting heavy ConDef activity from inside and outside City Hall. They're definitely aware of your presence and what you're up to. Area's too hot for evac vehicles. You'll need a clean house before any extraction can be made. We can send in air support from Scar Squadron if necessary. Until then, clear the vicinity of all hostiles. HQ out."_

"Alright, Valor. Time to get the senator and the rest of these people oughta here in one piece. And an escape route they'll never forget. Let's move out."


	15. The Grave of Ezra Prescott

Chapter 15 The Grave of Ezra Prescott

Alex

July 12th, 2017

7:54 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

When a door closes, a window opens. Or something like that. Other than a secret door to a secret lair for the Herd of Whales back in Vancouver, you don't see a stairwell descending from the ground every day. Like Dad always says, abra-goddamn-cadabra.

Max and I walk down the flight of stairs into the underground passage. Entering the grave of Ezra Prescott itself. And soon entering an underground mausoleum where other tombs are buried with Ezra's.

We enter a room with stone coffins are stored underneath the snow. Where other people are laid to rest as well.

"It's a crypt," said Max.

"A crypt?" I asked. "Hidden behind a secret door?"

"I assume the secret door was hidden afterwards."

"To hide his secrets."

"Well, fingers crossed."

When continuing down inside the secret underground crypt hidden under the graveyard, we come across some statues of three strange women of Greek origin. One of them holding a staff with angelic wings behind her back. Another with long and slender arms and hair, and a deadly face. And the other with a very obese body with four arms and a small head. I knew who they were.

The were none other than statues of the Sisters of Moirai. Also known as the Sisters of Fate. Lahkesis, Atropos, and Clotho.

"Wowser, the gang's all here," said Max. "Lahkesis…Atropos on the left…"

"Sister of Moirai," I said.

"Clotho on the right."

"Sister of Fate."

"Arthur sure had a thing for the sisters, huh?"

"Well, Arthur fancied himself a 'good traveler', right? Only plundered and murdered the non-British heathens."

"Guess that's what passed for 'good' back then."

"Good enough."

Max walked around the wall where the statues of the sister were built and spotted a door on the other side. A door with holes and stars marked on.

"Is this a door?" Max asked. "Looks like a door."

Max tried pushing the door open, but no budge.

"I don't see a way to open it, though," I said. "What are these star symbols?"

We turn around behind us to face the wall parallel to where the statues faced to see more objects of interest. Lamps sitting on the wall behind us.

"Some kind of lamp," said Max. "Hey, Smokey, I need your lighter of here."

"You know, that hurts my feelings," I said.

"Not as much as it hurts your lungs."

"Thank you, Father Duffy."

I light the lamp with my lighter and flames spread out like a whip on whiskey. Lighting up furnaces in the wall and a strip of fire on the wall. Projecting light rays to the door Max spotted and tried to push down.

"Ooh," I said.

"Well, isn't that something," said Max.

"Uh-huh. The light's coming from the other side of the wall."

We wall back to the other side of the wall with the statues to see something different. This time, there were little hatches underneath the statues revealing holes to look through. Spyglasses of some sort.

Max looks through one of the glasses and uses it one of those pay telescopes my cousin and I used to look through back in Seattle. She turns the scope around a little while looking through the glass to see the light beams rotating. She could use those lights to reflect on the holes marked on the door.

"Ah, I can aim the lights," she said.

"I am loving this," I said.

I walk over to the other side of the wall to watch Max turn the lights around to reflect them at a certain pattern. Max gets one pattern down and we see the lights luminating a line from one mark to another. Connecting the dots like a constellation.

When Max gets all the light aligned in the correct pattern, it does actually form a full constellation like the bigger dipper at night. Something that might help open the door for us.

"Max, that's it," I said. "You got it."

We both walk back to the door to view the constellation that was lit from the rays. Figuring out what it meant.

"It looks like a constellation," I said.

"Yeah, that's Libra," said Max. "The scales of justice."

"That's an interesting choice for a bunch of knights."

There was a compass looking object on the door sticking out. Once that looked a switch for the door. Max grabbed onto it to use it.

She gave it a shot and open sesame. The doors opened to reveal a mirror like window or something. Like I just said to myself, when a door closes, a window opens.

"Well, nice view," I said. "No shards though."

"No, but," said Max. Staring through the window to point out something. "Look, you see those statues?"

I look through the window next to her to see the statues with my own eyes.

"Oh, yeah," I said. "Hey, is that a cave? Right below?"

I spot a cave between the statues surrounding it.

"Yeah, I think Arthur is trying to tell us where to go next," said Max.

Before we leave the place, Max warns me of one thing before even thinking about going to that cavern where the shards must be hidden.

"Uh, there's one problem though," she said. Stopping my feet. "Going back that way means we have to go back toward the cathedral."

"And back towards Joan," I said.

"Shit."

"Well, let's not keep her waiting."

* * *

Cayce

July 12th, 2014

11:20 AM

San Francisco, California

San Francisco City Hall

After successfully rescuing Senator Amber with his wife and the other hostages, we escort them safely outside City Hall where it's swarming with ConDef forces stopping us from taking James alive. The senator himself was badly beaten from the torturing and his wife, Rose, had to carry him by the arm and around his shoulders. James's injuries were a bruise on the eye and cuts on the face with pelted ribs.

As soon as we secured Amber, we set off the C4 we had hidden in the courtyard to cover our escape and reduce the ConDef threat once we were outside. And it did just that once we had seen the damage we had done in the courtyard.

David, the rest of the team, and I made sure the Ambers and the other hostage were covered. Except for Cage who had split from us to find us an evac vehicle to pick up the hostages including the Amber safely back to SF Spectre.

I recall the names James and Rose back when their daughter and I were partners three years ago before her return to Arcadia Bay. Though I only first knew their names when researching Rachel's records during her Lazarus program that brought her to life, I now know their faces. And though Rachel did mention them a few times, she only told me that her relationship with her parents was complicated.

I wonder how they would react to me working with Rachel as partners? If they already knew that is. If Rachel told them that is.

Once we were all outside City Hall on top of the steps near the front entrance, it became a skirmish between here and our evac. Infantries and sentries shooting us from every corner around the courtyard, striker units reinforcing, turrets firing from tanks, whatever it'd be.

We took cover behind the pillars and sandbags on top of the front stairs firing back as hard as we could maintain Amber's safety. We kept Amber and the others hidden inside safe from the fighting. All we needed to do was hold the line and clear the way for evac to arrive.

Kristine was on turret mounted on the sandbags clearing out most of the infantry and strikers off the courtyard, but pinned by the turrets mounted on the tanks. We couldn't let ConDef shoot through us to get indoors. Otherwise, James and the other civvies are dead meat.

"We can't take much more of this, Commander!" Kristine yelled. "We need to do something about those tanks!"

"Mason, throw some smoke at those tanks!" David ordered. "Foley, you and Logos plant some C4 on those tanks when the smoke is out! Heard, Newblood, Wheeler, give Prescott some covering fire!"

"Throwing smoke!" Mason shouted. Tossing smoke grenades at the tanks.

The smoke bombs burst into smoke once they rolled into tanks and blinded the turrets line fire. That was my cue to get my ass over there and blow those war machines sky high.

"Cayce, Logos, get your asses over there and blow those tanks!" David ordered.

"I'm going in!" I replied.

"Muy bien, David!" Logos replied.

I run over to one tank blinded by smoke, Logos runs to the other. I get my C4 ready to stick to the tank and make a run back to the stairs once it's set.

The C4 is set. Logos's C4 is set. We run back to the pillars away from the tanks and out of the smoke.

"Blow those geezers off the ground, Foley!" Newblood yelled.

I take out my detonator and the C4 goes off. Exploding the tank like napalm. Same thing occurs to Logos's tank when he sets his charge off as well.

"Tanks neutralized," I said.

"That's how it's done," said Kristine.

Suddenly, ConDef reinforcements arrive. This time with more tanks and MG trucks knocking through the gates to the courtyard and at our doorstep.

The convoy of armored enemy vehicles parked into the fighting vicinity and began to open fire. Fifty caliber bullets blowing through the concrete like lethal metal. Beginning a far more intensive skirmish than the one we've been in.

"Oh, bloody me, more fucking MGs?!" Newblood muttered.

"These pendejos severely want us and Amber our of the picture!" Logos grunted.

"We can't take much more of this, Commander!" Heard shouted. "We need that air support now or us and the senator are a fish in a barrel!"

 _"_ _This is Scar Leader to all available ground units on foot. Available to provide any air support in the vicinity. Over."_

"Lynch, it's Madsen," said David. "If you can hear me, we need you to throw everything you've on these tanks and MG vehicles ASAP! Or the senator and us are dead meat!"

 _"_ _Copy that, Madsen. I knew you couldn't resist. Waiting for marked targets on your signal."_

"Cayce, throw a targeting flare for Lynch and her squad!"

"On it!" I replied.

I take out a targeting flare and light a red spark to mark the targets. Then toss it into the courtyard for Lynch and her squadron to flush the MG vehicles out.

 _"_ _Targets marked. Engaging hostiles. Stand clear of firing range."_

We can hear harriers above us. Scar squadron no doubt. Soon, Lynch and the Calvary had arrived with our support.

First, the harrier up above fired their guns on the ground vehicles. Blowing massive holes through the tanks and trucks. Flipping off the ground like Slinkys and they were shot down.

Then the squad of harriers finished the job with a recipe of napalm. Bombing away the armored convoy into scorched metal as loud as an atom bomb.

Finally, Scar Squadron flew away with their leader, Lynch, with their task complete. With ConDef out of sight and out of mind, our EZ was clear and ready for pick up to bring James Amber to SF Spectre.

 _"_ _Targets neutralized. Your EZ is clear."_

"Thanks for the assist, Scar Leader," replied David. "Madsen out. HQ, this is Fireteam Valor. Evac point is secure and cleansed of all ConDef activity. We're clear for air vehicles. James Amber is secure, but WIA. We'll be needing a medic back at base."

 _"_ _Affirmative, Valor. Standby. Seahawks in route. ETA one minute. HQ out."_

"Let's move out, Valor! Get the Ambers out of that building and to the EZ!"

The eight of us safely walk the civilians out of the building. Including the Amber couple. Rose still carries her husband around the shoulders to aid his busted ribs while the team and I line up the rest of the civvies out of City Hall to walk them to the EZ.

"Man, Commander," said Flint. "That…was some fighting. I thought we were finished."

When we escorted everyone to the EZ through the courtyard, we had to walk them through the destroyed tanks and trucks in flames. With a scent of napalm at our nostrils.

"Ugh, that smell," said Rose, helping James on his feet. "That from the explosions?"

"That's the smell of napalm in the morning, babe," said Heard. "You get used to it in the corps."

"Don't call her babe," said James. "She's taken, ya know. We're married."

"Let's stop hitting on the senator's wife, Heard, and keep moving. Our evac should be here in less than thirty seconds."

Once we're outside through the gate of the napalmed courtyard, we here propellers of Seahawks flying towards us. One of them carrying an APC tank with cargo tethers attached and the other that must be James's evac ride.

Then jeeps and hummers drove down the street of our EZ next to City Hall in time when the choppers arrived. The chopper carrying the tank was about to drop the load and left us a warning.

 _"_ _Look out below, Valor. Incoming APC."_

The Seahawk drops the APC to ground released from the tethers and flies off, the ground vehicles come to a stop next to us, and the chopper used for the civilian evac lands safely on the asphalt. Captain Cage returns. Exiting the chopper from the passenger hold to inspect our mission status.

Cage counts the civilians we rescued including the Ambers. Only to count not as many as expected.

"Where's the rest of the hostages?" He asked.

"Wasted, Captain," answered Heard.

"And we will too, Captain," said Flint. "If we don't get the hell out of here."

Flint tries to walk past Cage, but stops him by the shoulder.

"You hit, marine?" Cage asked.

"N-no, sir," replied Flint.

"Then listen up! Senator Amber and the rest of the locals are gonna ride into the chopper back to base. Madsen is gonna jump in that tank, roll across Oakland Bay Bridge, and blow up and ConDef son of a bitch dumb enough to get between him and Berkeley. Pull yourself together! Because you're going with him."

"What the senator?" I asked.

"Didn't you hear? He's going on the chopper back to base until we can get him and the others to the Oregon. Stay with Madsen. He'll know what to do."

"Yes, sir, Captain!"

"Hey, David," said James. Still being carried by his wife. "Thank you. My wife and I are in your debt."

"Likewise, James," said David. "You and Rose have a safe flight back to Spectre."

"Thanks for the tank," said Kristine. "He never gets me anything."

Cage mounted himself on a turret on the APC tank. Lock and loading the machine gun with a smile on his lips.

"Oh, I know what the ladies like," said Cage.

"You better," said Heard. "Cuz I could use a drink in the mess hall after this and your buying."

David shook his head.

"Women always stick together," he said.

 **Note: I just saw Black Panther last night and it's the best MCU film to date! Wakanda forever! If any of you had seen the movie yet, I hope you enjoyed it as I did. I also hope you recognized the first and last line of this chapter as another nod to the first Life is Strange. Be sure to keep an eye out for more callbacks, cuz they're gonna keep on coming!**

 **Till next time, stay tuned and golden! And stay frosty as David would say!**


	16. For Those Who Prove Worthy

Chapter 16 For Those Who Prove Worthy

Max

July 12th, 2017

8:15 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

After traveling miles away from the crypt and to the cavern that would take us to the shards, we spot an ancient water ship with it's sails broken down and crashed into the shore. Had to be fifth century from the Arthurian era. A ship that belonged to the Saint Loomis order most likely. Must over a thousand years old from where we stood. More ancient than the Elizabethan era.

"Oh, hey look over there," said Alex. "Old knightey looking ships."

"All of this is good," I said. "Very good."

The weather up on the mountain was getting chillier and nippier too. Not because of the higher elevation we were now entering to reach the cavern, but also because there was blizzard now rolling in.

Our warm clothes kept us as warm as possible as it snowed in the middle of July in the country of Greece. At least it wasn't snowing in the middle of October when it's eighty degrees out like it did four years ago on that Monday where it all began. Even then, it's snowing more naturally this time than it did once in Arcadia Bay.

We were now approaching front hole of the cavern to get us inside. That is when Bryan contacts us on our radios.

 _"_ _Max, storm's picking up,"_ he said. _"How's it looking?"_

"We're about to head into the cave," I said.

 _"_ _The cave?"_

"Yeah. Might loose contact for a bit. Don't get too worried."

 _"_ _Alright, I'll keep the porchlight on for ya."_

"Alright. Call you soon."

"We made it," said Alex. "It's quite the detour."

"Let's go see what Ezra and Arthur left for us."

"Yes please. Those ConDef assholes were right next to this cave."

"Yeah, but I think we're the first ones in here."

Once inside the cave, we stumble into some bodies left to rot on the stone, cold, floor. Bodies of soldiers to exact. But they weren't ConDef. They were someone else.

The uniforms on the bodies were tagged with Chrysalis patches. With the logo and words that read: **CHRYSALIS BRITISH DIVISION** around it.

The bodies rotting in the cave didn't look as if bullets did the job. Their face looked either crushed or beaten to death physically by hand.

"Where did these bodies come from?" Alex asked. "They don't look they're from ConDef."

"They're not," I said. "They're Chrysalis. From the British division by the look of their patches. These men look like they've been dead for over a week."

"And it doesn't look like bullets took care of them. Looks like they were beaten to death or curb stomped by a boot. Definitely seems we weren't the first to enter here. This flag pitched in the ground considered."

"Sorry if I spoke too soon."

There was indeed a ConDef flag posted on the ground where the dead Chrysalis trooped laid. Whether it'd be a kill confirmed or encampment flag, ConDef certainly came here first before we or even Chrysalis did. Whatever the Chrysalis came here before us.

I take a look at one of the soldier's dog tag's around his neck. It read: **CAPT. DANIEL "WOLFF" LYALL**. The name of the fallen British Chrysalis soldier.

"Who's Captain Lyall?" Alex asked.

"Must be this guy's name," I said. "Come on. If ConDef's here, we have no time to lose. Joan and Alkaline must have more of a head start than we figured."

"What was Chrysalis doing here before us anyway?" Alex thought. "Could they have been looking for the shards too?"

"Don't know, don't care. Let's just find that Power Shard and get oughta here."

To get further into the cave, we had to squeeze through a small space through the walls past the Chrysalis unit. Glad I didn't eat a big breakfast. Or I wouldn't be thin enough to shimmy through. At least I have no thin space phobia like Fernando does either.

When through the space, we're now walking down steps past more sister statues. Down some stone carved stairs deeper into the catacombs hiding the Power Shard.

"Creepy Sisters of Moirai Statues, check," said Alex.

"Carved stairs, check," I said.

"Max, I think it's safe to say we're in a knight's cave."

Once we're down the stairs, we see a door that could take us to main attraction. With hole next to it between smaller holes around the hole.

"Oh, is that a door?" Alex asked.

"It sure looks like it," I replied.

I walk to the door and decide to put my hand in the hole next to the door. I shine my flashlight inside the hole to see what's inside. And then see a small little switch inside.

I stick my hand in the hole to reach for the switch and pull it. It felt weird with fingers touching the switch before I pulled it.

"A little slimy," I said. "There's a handle in here or something."

"Well, give it a – give it a pull," said Alex.

"What? Could be a trap?"

"You're already in there. What's the – what's the worst that could happen?"

"Uh, I lose my hand?"

"So we'll get you a nice hook. Just like Long Max Silver."

I rolled my eye and frowned at Alex. Very random of her to call me a name I've rarely used in nine years since.

"Give it a pull," said Alex. Atoning the randomness.

"Nice hook," I scoffed. "Alright, here we go."

I pulled the handle in hole the and the door rolls open like spinning wheel. Abra-goddamn-cadabre. Alex chuckled and I got my smile on.

"Really?" Alex thought.

"Hello, hello," I said.

When walking through the open door, we enter room with statues of knights and cages with skeletons. Along with the Saint Loomis symbol marked on a décor in the room.

Alex whistled. A remarkable, but eerie sight we're seeing.

"Pretty interesting décor," said Alex.

I read sign hung near the décor marked with a sigil. Using my flashlight to read.

"'For those you prove worthy, paradise awaits,'" I read aloud. "'To those who prove false, behold your grim fate.'"

"Yeah, well I guess Arthur was a better king than a poet," said Alex.

"This…this isn't Arthur's," I said. "It's not even Ezra's."

"What do you mean?"

"Look."

I lit my flashlight on the sigil set between the words. The sigil featured a grizzly head of a creature with teeth locked together. A bigfoot sigil. Like the Blackwell mascot.

Meaning the sigil belonged only to Ezra's closest companion and founder of Blackwell. The man who founded my school seven years prior to Ezra's conquest and expedition.

"It's the bigfoot," said Alex.

"Jeremiah Blackwell," I said.

"Yeah. But it can't be him. I mean, this is clearly his sigil, but Jeremiah died attacking the ark fleet against the Germans as Ezra. During their fight in World War I."

"Yeah, well at least that's what the stories tell us."

"If this really is Jeremiah's mark, then that means he's involved in all this…how?"

We feel a sudden distant tremor in the cave as pebbles fell above us. ConDef for the likely part. However Jeremiah was involved in all this, we had yet to discover that before ConDef did.

"That's a damn good question," I said.

I glance over at the skeletal corpses hanging behind the razer bars of the cages. Must've been booby traps that killed whoever was caught in them.

"So who do you think these guys are?" I asked.

"Those who prove false, I guess," said Alex. "I think Ezra or Jeremiah Blackwell are just trying to scare us."

"Good thing we're jaded expeditioners."

"Good thing."

We continue our way through the cave hoping to prove ourselves worthy of paradise and not false to a grim fate. There's another room we find similar to the one with the décor we passed by.

This room had some kind of spinning wheels with two statues between and gears wrapped around rope. Must be something of interest. Little do we know we would be trapped inside upon entry.

I step on a tile with my boot as it's pressed down. Triggering the door behind us to the room to roll shut. Alex raced to the door as it was closing in a panic. Until it sealed in front of us and concealed us in the room. Like a scene from The Mummy or Indiana Jones.

"Well, we're not going back that way," said Alex.

"At least we didn't get dropped in a pit or something," I said.

I walk toward the spinning wheels with the gears between the statues. The mechanism seemed fascinating.

Not only were there ropes tied down on the gears, there was some kind of wooden drain on top. One that looked to be used for running water like a fountain. But how?

"This is…elaborate," said Alex.

"You could say that," I said.

There was another door in the room next to the wheels that looked to be the exit. One next to another switch like the last one I thought I'd loose my arm to. Only this time, the switch was stuck to another skeletal being with spikes pitched against it like a Halloween decoration. Booby traps galore everyone.

I don't get nightmares from skeletons as I did from dark rooms, tornadoes, and end of time world domination rifts in the sky, but I know I felt sick from staring at anciently decayed bodies caught in lethal traps already. Sicker than when finding Rachel's disintegrating imposter in the American Rust.

"Found another switch," I said.

"Careful," said Alex.

I get ready to pull the corpse off the handle and spikes.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna take the…hand…out," I said, pulling the body out.

The skeleton's arm on the handles breaks loose the body collapses. Freed from the trap and spikes that sheath themselves back in place. Waiting for the next false being to be slain to a grim fate. Hopefully I'm not the next victim.

"Whoa, Jesus," I said.

When the trap is reset, I appeared to have reset the gear mechanism as well. One of the gears spins around a wheel with a wooden bucket inside. Might explain the drain since buckets carry water as well. We're now on to something with this next puzzle of ours.

"It's a pretty elaborate test?" Alex thought. "Or trial?"

"Yeah," I said. "One this guy clearly failed."

"Then let's do better."

The bucket in the wheel makes its way to the bottom with the wheels to where we can reach it. These wheels are telling me we might be able to get out of here if we solve this correctly. Our ticket to proving ourselves worthy.

"There's something on the bottom there," said Alex.

"It's a bucket," I said.

"Huh. Okay. Now what?"

I take the bucket out of the hole to find some place to use it. There was a pool of water below us in the room that looked to be there for the bucket I was carrying around my arm. It's a start.

I fill the bucket with water and put it back to the big wheel thingy. When I do, light rays shine on the bottom wheel towards the blanks on the wheel that have to be points of interest to solving the puzzle.

There was one light ray that shines on a Saint Loomis cross. There were other crosses on the wheel that were part of the puzzle. I may have an idea what we need to do.

We needed to get the crosses in the correct spot of the correct light. To make sure I had the right idea, I take out Ezra's journal in my hands to find a page with the three sisters drawn in front of three crosses. Lakhesis with the lightest cross, Atropos with the mildest cross, and Clotho with the darkest cross.

It wasn't where the sisters were drawn that was important, it was where the crosses drown inside three holes that were. Lightest to the left, mildest in the middle, darkest to the right.

"Okay, I think I see what's going on here," I said.

"There's something with the three crosses?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. I'm guessing we're looking at Atropos, our good sister Lahkesis, and the jerk sister Clotho."

"Well, I'm gonna figure the white cross is Lahkesis."

"So the black one is Clotho."

There was another light ray on top that must've been for the water in the bucket. Where it could poor the water down the drain and solve the puzzle. Looks like the crosses we're the only pieces of the puzzle to get right. This should be taxing.

In order to get everything in the right spot, I would need to turn the wheels with other wheels tied around the ropes tied around the gear to make the wheels spin everything around in their spot.

I think hard and carefully when turn the wheels around to get both the crosses and the bucket in the correct light. When I get the bucket in it's light on top, a mechanism turns on the wooden drain that would channel the water through. Only it doesn't until I can get the crosses in their area too.

"Hey check it out," said Alex. "Something up there moved when you put the bucket on top."

"There's a channel running from the mechanism to the door," I said.

"Okay, so the bucket on top is good. Keep it there."

I was almost through with the puzzle. Just a few more turn for the crosses and voila. All three crosses in the right lights.

"Okay, that's gotta be it," I said.

"Let's find out," said Alex.

"'Let's?' So you're gonna pull the switch?"

"Oh, no, no. I'd hate to deprive you of that privilege."

"Of course."

I walk back to switch to prove myself worthy. Praying for dear life I solved the puzzle correctly and I don't die on Alex or secretly die on Chloe by a booby trap. Either a fortune better than life or a misfortune worse than death. Time to bet my life on it.

I reach my arm through the hole as my hand grabs onto the handle as I slowly pull the switch. Not to a fate worse than death, bet rather a risky move that paid off.

Once the switch is pulled, something happens to the mechanism next to me that doesn't involve spikes forked through my skin.

"Max, look," said Alex. "I think you got it!"

The bucket on the top wheel pours the water through the wooden channel and into the wall to unlock our exit forward. The exit door rolls open and we're free at last.

"No shishkamaxes," I said. "No Maxkabobs today. Pain to the Max all the way."

"So, if that was a test," said Alex. "What do you suppose it was testing exactly? Filling a bucket?"

"Had to know about Lahkesis. Who I bet Arthur and all of his knights were intimately familiar with."

"Not that hard of a test."

"Maybe it's not the only one?"

"Maybe."

 **Note: So in honor of "Farewell" coming out next Tuesday, I want to say that my if not almost everyone's favorite iconic moment with Pricefield was them on the train tracks. One no one will ever forget. Enjoy Before the Storm's bonus episode everyone! :) This time seeing Pricefield could be our last. :(**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and stay golden my Pricefield shippers! It's been honor knowing them after three years of Life Is Strange ;)**


	17. Wolverines

Chapter 17 Wolverines

David

July 12th, 2017

11:49 AM

Berkeley, California

Central Berkeley

I drive the APC tank with Cayce, Kristine, and Flint on the convoy to Berkeley. Where Cage and the others ride on the hummers escorting our tank. We had just been contacted by SF Spectre, who just reestablished their coms, informing us James Amber and rest had made it there safely with the other refugees secure there. That makes one objective accomplished for this operation.

The convoy drives through the long Oakland Bay Bridge and into Berkeley to rescue more surviving civilians trapped in the outskirts. We enter the residential areas of Central Berkeley to see the place just as leveled as San Francisco. Bombed houses, flipped cars, AA gun fire spraying the skies, and ConDef troopers parachuting their way down to Berkeley.

A gunner on one of the hummers fires his turret mounted on top on one ConDef soldier parachuting near us with his 50 caliber bullets leveling through a house on the block when aiming for the parachuting man. Radio chatter of other Chrysalis units in the area in distress from the fighting.

We could also see enemy carrier planes dropping ConDef boots to the ground where the parachuting men came from. Felt like the movie "Red Dawn" where that came from.

The convoy stops at a roadblock in the block. Closing down the road with barbwire and plastic barriers. That was when an enemy tank drives by in front of the barricade to take us out.

"We got a BTR!" I shouted. "Get out! Get out!"

Everyone in their vehicles races their way out before getting blasted away by the BTR. I run away from the APC with Cayce and the others and Cage and the rest of the team retreat with us into yards of the residential homes.

"Team, this way!" Cage ordered. "Let's go! Let's go!"

The team and I enter a safe spot in a backyard away from the enemy tank that blows away our tank and hummers one by one. Some of the soldiers we brought with us that weren't part of the team were blown away with the vehicles and didn't make in time. At least Valor didn't take any casualties. Not yet.

"HQ, this is Fireteam Valor," said Cage. "Requesting air support! Over!"

 _"_ _Fireteam Valor, all air support is already engaged. Additional ground support is en route to your position, but has encountered heavy resistance. Over."_

"Roger that, HQ. Be advised, we have encountered enemy armor and are proceeding on foot. Over."

 _"_ _HQ copies all. Good luck. HQ out."_

"Captain, did HQ just tell us to go 'F' ourselves?" Cayce asked.

"Pretty much, Foley," replied Cage.

Suddenly, upon crossing the street to another block, we can see the BTR reappear in front of us. Driving down the road that blocked our convoy and engaging on the houses. Blowing up every home in its path.

"Hold your fire!" Cage ordered. "Don't engage on that BTR! They haven't acquired us! Hang right and stay behind it!"

The nine of us run across the property behind the houses to keep cover from the armor's firepower leveling the homes. We stay on that path until the ConDef armor withdrew from the block.

When we were given the opportunity to sneak behind tank as soon as it passed, we make a run back on the street and keep off the grass in the lawns. Hidden from the enemy's plain sights.

Suddenly, we hear more radio chatter coming from Central Berkeley. And it wasn't coming from our regiments. It was coming from civilians.

 _"_ _Hello?! Hello! Can anyone hear me? This is Taylor Christiansen! We need help! Please!"_

Taylor Christiansen? Do I know that name?

"Who the hell is speaking?" Cayce asked. "That's not one of ours, is it?"

 _"_ _This is Victoria Chase. I'm a student from Berkeley. My friends and I are trapped in a meat locker underneath the TGI Friday's restaurant in Central and we need help! We can't stay here forever!"_

Victoria Chase? Now that's a name a recall going back from Blackwell. And now I'm hearing her voice again as a Berkeley student?

"They sound like college kids," said Kristine. "And Victoria Chase? I think I recall that name from my late brother."

 _"_ _This is Freddy Mayne. We're trapped in a bloody flesh locker in a fucking TGI Friday's restaurant in the middle of a fucking a warzone where some naughty geezers are about to kill us! Wherever you Chrysalis mates are, we need you now!"_

"Freddy, is that you?" Newblood asked. "It's your uncle Andrew. How did you end up here?!"

 _"_ _Blimey! Uncle Andy?! Is that really you?! Bloody good to hear your voice on this radio! Are you hear to get us out of this mess?!"_

"We are now. How did you wound up in this mess anyhow?"

" _There's less time to explain as there's more to save our arses! Please hurry! My girlfriend's freaking out, my girlfriend's friends are freaking out, I'm freaking out! And make sure you bring a medic! Hayden went and busted his arm on the way here."_

"You kids sit tight and stay put," said Cage. "Help is on the way. Don't go anywhere until we arrive! Out."

"Clayton, that was Victoria Chase on the radio," I said. "The girl from Blackwell who-"

"I know who that was, David. The frequency came from University Plaza. That's where they are and that's where we move out!"

"Yes, sir!"

We were eventually spotted by the tank that drove down the street on our twelve and boogies ended up hopping out to start shooting at us. I throw smoke towards the pack of ConDef near the tank to make our escape and retreat from them. The team covers me as I do.

We use the cover of the smoke to run past the enemy BTR and into an alley to make our retreat. But that was only escaping the minimum of our problems.

There were more ConDef soldiers to deal with across the alley we took to escape the BTR squad. We were fighting tangos at close range and I had a shotgun attachment on my rifle to use for close quarters. I use it to clear the way of enemy's hiding in corners or behind dumpsters in the alley.

Upon running and gunning through the alley, we're taken to an area of a dinner next to a gas station. The alleyway we took was behind the dinner taking us to the area itself. With more ConDef occupying the place as well.

We clear the vicinity of the dinner and gas station. Avoiding the pumps so we don't accidentally blow ourselves up with the pack of ConDef.

Upon clearing the vicinity, our destination was just in front of us now on the other of the street from the dinner and station. University Plaza was dead ahead and the place Victoria, her boyfriend, and other college students were hiding out. We needed to help them fast.

Cage took point in the direction of the plaza as we made a run across the street and into the parking lots of the plaza. University Plaza had three restaurants and a marketplace/pharmacy built in the area. There was a Burger King, a Taco Bell, a TGI Friday's and a Walgreens built on the plaza. The precise place Victoria and her friends were trapped in and where we advance to.

When advancing to the restaurant, it would appear the building was already being defended by another Chrysalis unit before us. They must be protecting the college civvies inside.

We join in with the defending unit and Cage runs ups to a private defending the restaurant with his platoon to speak with him.

"Private, give me a sitrep!" Cage ordered. "Where are the Berkeley students?!"

"We moved them to the meat locker!" The private answered. "It's practically bulletproof!"

"What's their status? How many?"

"Two males and five females. One of the males is injured. You got a medic?"

"I'm a medic," said Kristine. "I can check his wound."

"What else?" Cage asked.

"We got a supply drop on the roof with an M-5 sentry gun," replied the private.

"Madsen, get to the roof and check out the supply drop!"

"With all due respect, Captain," I said. "We can't take any chances protecting those college kids from one position! Some of us are gonna have to find some place to intercept."

"He's not wrong, Clay," said Heard. "If we're gonna get those Betty Boops and Backstreet Boys out of Berkeley, we got to be willing to do it contingently. That Burger King don't look to shabby to do so."

"Move it or loose it, ladies!" Cage muttered. "I'll let my second in command decide who gets where. Madsen, you've had your orders. Time for you to give the same."

 **X/SQUARE/LM – DEFEND FROM FRIDAY'S**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – DEFEND FROM BURGER KING**

"Foley, Prescott, Newblood, you're with me on the rooftop of the Friday's restaurant," I ordered. "Heard, you take Logos, Mason, and Wheeler to Burger King and intercept any resistance from there."

"Eye, eye, Commander!" Heard replied. "You three heard Madsen! On me!"

"Captain, I suppose you're coming with us?"

"You bet I am," he answered. "Keep this perimeter defended gentlemen! We're taking the roof!"

"Yes, sir, Captain!" The private copied.

Lieutenant Major Heard and the rest of her side of the team ran for the Burger King to give us interception from and in all advancing ConDef. I, Cage, and the rest of my team ran up to the roof of TGI Friday's to engage our side of defense.

Up on the roof once we were up there, there was a minigun sentry and a sniper supply drop. Just as the private mentioned and promised.

I carry the sentry gun over to the proper position to where it can hold back infantry and such. Kristine takes the sniper to longshot enemies from long range distances.

The other half of the team is in position up on the roof of Burger King. Talk about product placement as defense positions. Cage gave the orders to engage on incoming ConDef reinforcements closing in on the plaza.

"Heads up, ladies," said Cage. "We got trucks to the south!"

There were enemy MG trucks rolling into the plaza by Taco Bell with smoke spreading out to cover the tracks of the infantry.

"They're using smoke to cover their advance!" Cayce warned.

"Squad, this is Valor One Actual," said Cage. "Switch to thermal optics if you got 'em. Incoming from the south! Two dozen plus foot mobiles! Tangos on the roof behind us!"

As Cage give the orders, Kristine sniped every last ConDef boogie in her crosshairs with her thermal optic mod to see through the smoke. Picking them off asphalt of the car lot and the roofs behind us.

The sentry gun performed a decent amount of damage to the resistance as well. More so than the sniper.

To make matters better, Heard was able to pick off some infantry from roof of the Burger King with the others. As the old song and dance goes, some like it hot.

"Incoming, north side!" Cayce warned. Spotting more enemies.

"Roger that!" Kristine responded.

"Contact to the north!" Newblood repeated the warning.

"Team, we got contacts to the north," said Cage. Informing every unit including ours defending the plaza. "Team, shift your fire north."

I carry the sentry over to our next firing position as everyone else prepares the guns including mine to shift northside of the TGI Friday's building. Where ConDef troops were know advancing near the Walgreens building. More smoke was deployed as well.

"They're laying down a smokescreen to the north," said Cayce.

"Roger," replied Cage. "Switch to thermal if you got it."

We all knew the routine. Cover, aim, and fire away. Using thermal scopes to fire through the enemy smokescreen and the sentry to cut them apart.

Our line of defense, however, didn't last forever. Our perimeter was eventually breached by infantry climbing up the ladders to the roof. Outflanking us from our firing range.

"Our perimeter is breached!" Cage warned. "Enemies on the roof!"

I hold back couple of enemies breaching our perimeter. Shooting them down with my Scar-H rifle with a shotgun attachment mod.

Then suddenly Heard back us up with her sniper in hand from the roof her and team's restaurant. Outflanking the purging ConDef back from us. She gives us the thumps up from afar for the cocky, snarky, and trigger happy Major she was.

 _"_ _Your all clear, kids,"_ said the major on com. _"Is the northside ground neutralized as well?"_

Indeed it is, Lieutenant Major. Indeed it is.

Cayce went down the roof and inside the restaurant to check on the Berkeley kids protected in the meat locker. Making sure they were safe and sound.

"Looks like ConDef's had enough," I replied.

"Foley, give me a sitrep on Berkeley, over," ordered Cage.

 _"_ _Berkeley is secure and stable,"_ replied Cayce.

"Roger that. Everyone, check your weapons and ammo. They'll be back. Valor Two, be advised, two BTRs coming from the north."

 _"_ _Roger that,"_ replied Heard.

Suddenly, an airstrike from above shot itself down on the asphalt out of nowhere. Almost leveling the restaurant and taking us out. Wherever it came from.

 _"_ _What the hell was that?!"_ Cayce shouted.

"Get down off the roof now!" Cage thundered.

We all slid down a ladder inside the restaurant and ran straight out. Leaving the Berkeley civilians vulnerable, but us out of range.

Wherever the missile were being launched from, they were likely coming from a predator or so. An eye in the sky for the resistance to wipe us off the plaza. We had to deal with whoever was operating them before they could wipe out our old Arcadian friends from that restaurant they were stuck in until it was over.

"I have a visual on an enemy UAV operator remote-piloting those missiles!" Cayce shouted out. Spotting the operator. "He's inside that diner to the west!"

"Madsen, get over there and kill that SOB!" Cage ordered. "Take Foley and Prescott to help you out! Go!"

Getting across the street with Cayce and Kristine was never going to be a cakewalk. Nothing has been since we deployed here.

The two BTR tanks we spotted earlier were patrolling back and forth on the street we had to across from the plaza to the diner.

The three of us waited for the right opportunity to run across when we were out of range and made a break for the diner with the best timing possible. Running and gunning down ConDef along the way.

There were multiple ConDef infantry in the diner we had to gun down. Including the operating hiding behind the bar table. I shoot the operator with the rest of his guys and everyone in the diner was neutralized and dealt. Now to see what this control rig can do.

"David, get the control rig for the UAV," said Cayce.

I take the control rig for myself and open the laptop to view the target camera from the drone airborne.

"Control rig acquired," I said.

 _"_ _Madsen, neutralize that enemy armor,"_ ordered Cage.

I get a visual on the enemy armor and fire one missile towards one BTR on the street. I fire away and boom goes the armor.

Only one more to go and bombs away. Sending the other BTR with a bang. Two down and none to go.

 _"_ _Nice work team,"_ said Cage. _"Regroup over here."_

It was time for everyone in Valor Team to form up at the plaza near the Friday's building. The three of us ran out the diner to fall in with everyone else.

Suddenly, before we could group up, another airstrike from an incoming enemy harrier was heard above our ears. Targeting the restaurant we took defense at and coming in hot.

"Enemy fast movers!" Cage hollered. "Take cover!"

We all took evasive action as the harrier rushed passed us and the missile hit the building and leveled it down in the front right corner into chunks. With the Berkeley students still inside.

 _"_ _Valor One Actual, are you still there?"_ Heard asked.

"Roger that," replied Cage. "Everyone listen up! New plan. Madsen, take Foley and Prescott and secure the Burger King! We're gonna move the Berkeley students over there! This location has been compromised! Everyone else, listen up! We're moving Berkeley ASAP! Stack up by the south entrance of Walgreens! We need to get those kids the hell out of this building before those fast movers make another pass."

We all advanced towards the Burger Kings as ordered. Since Heard's half of the team was already at the restaurant itself, they able to neutralize the hostiles quicker than we.

Nevertheless, we alone took care of some ConDef as a team. What was going to work was teamwork.

In the meanwhile, Cage and Newblood went inside the TGI Friday's restaurant with the other unit to evacuate the Berkeley students out of the locker. Including Newblood's nephew and Victoria.

 _"_ _Squad, be advised,"_ said Cage. _"We're gonna move the students from Friday's to the Burger King as a group!"_

Cayce, Kristine, and I join up with Heard, Logos, Mason, and Flint up on the roof of the Burger King to give Cage and Newblood covering fire on the way here. Protecting the students as well.

Cage was prepared to make run for the Burger King. Counting down on the com give us the sign.

 _"_ _On three!"_ He counted down. _"One! Two! Three! Go, go, go!"_

And away they went.

We all knew what to do. Cover Cage and the civvies him and the squad were escorting.

I could see on my scope of Cage carrying a young tan skinned man with a shaved head over his back. Couldn't recognize the young adult myself, but he appeared to be passed out with a broken arm. I caught the injured young man's name was Hayden? Sort of rang a bell.

Then I see Newblood running around with another young man next to him. His nephew it would seem.

And then I see no one but the prodigal daughter herself. Victoria Chase and her Blackwell elites as Blackwell used to call them now as Berkeley college students. Not to mention the former Vortex Club gang. Even recognized one of the girls as one who used to cheerlead for the Bigfoots and another one who used to write for the Blackwell Spotlight.

Ironically speaking, I knew these faces were going to freak when they see their former Blackwell security chief in Chrysalis uniform. We'll see about that.

"Team, this way!" Cage shouted. "Let's go, let's go!"

Once Cage, the team, and the locals were safe inside the Burger King, Cage made they were safe and secure in another meat locker.

 _"_ _Squad, I've made it to the Burger Town meat locker,"_ said Cage. _"The students are inside and secure. The door is shut. You guys and gals keep ConDef out. Friendly convoy is Oscar Mike."_

Then HQ made us a transmission on coms again.

 _"_ _Fireteam Valor, relay from Goliath Two. Enemy reinforcements approaching from the west. Over."_

 _"_ _Madsen, use the remote-controlled Predator missiles!"_ Cage ordered. _"We got incoming infantry! Keep them away from Burger King!"_

"On it!" I responded.

I reequipped the control rig I took from the diner and scanned for more tangos to level on screen. I target the incoming infantry on the targeting cam and fire away. Giving the pack of ConDef a bunch of damage blowing their feet off to orbit. At least ten kills approximately.

 _"_ _Ten plus KIAs,"_ said HQ. _"Good hit. Good hit."_

There were more target to blow off their feet near the Taco Bell. What I do to them is what I did with the last batch of hostiles.

Ready, aim, fire, boom. Goes the tangos.

 _"_ _Fireteam Valor, this is HQ Actual. We're seeing a large group of enemy reinforcements to your north. Over."_

The Burger King was about to be overrun. And lives were about to be on my conscience once again as a soldier. Not by the stash of Commander David Madsen.

With the help of the eye in the sky, I lunch another Predator missile to rain more hell on ConDef's parade. With ash and rubble as their confetti.

I fire another missile with the rig and boom they go. KIA says it all.

 _"_ _Oh man,"_ said HQ. _"That's at least ten more confirms, Valor. Good shooting."_

I kept up the fire with the predator as the rest of the squad kept fire with their guns. Fighting like wolverines in the woods or the wolverines from Red Dawn. Loved that movie when I was young.

 _"_ _Valor Team, we have a visual on a hostile group near the Green Halo gas station. Over."_

I'm about to put ConDef's flames out with gasoline when ready to fire a missile there to take them all out in a massive gas explosion.

Not before an enemy with an RPG lights a rocket towards the Predator and shoots it out of the sky. Our Predator was no more.

"Someone just took out our Predator!" Kristine shouted.

"Be advised!" Cayce calls out. "The Predator is offline! I repeat, the Predator is offline!"

"Well, so much for the eye in the sky," said Heard. "Now what do we do?"

 _"_ _Valor, this is HQ. We got a visual on a pair of enemy attack helicopters headed for your area. Over."_

"Solid copy, HQ," responded Cage. "Team, take down that helicopter! Go!"

"I saw a Stinger missile in that diner to the west!" Mason shouted.

"Madsen, get your ass over to that Stinger and blow those flying motherfuckers out of sky!" Cage ordered. "Now!"

"With pleasure!" I goad.

This time, I run out of the Burger King solo and make a break back to the diner without enemy interception. I could see the incoming assault choppers from where I ran across the street to the diner.

Had to admit. The diner in this skirmish was really making me miss the place I met Joyce for the first time. Two Whales of course. But this was not the time for remembrance.

I make it inside the diner and find the Stinger launcher lying around where Mason said it would be. I race back outside. Prepared to shoot the choppers out of the sky as they were about to commence their attack run.

Then suddenly, a missile strikes out of nowhere before I could fire and mine and boom goes the heli. The same occurs to the other one.

It just so happens to be Lynch in her harrier and the rest of the air squadron flying to the rescue. Neutralizing the two choppers down with two missile strike in one firing.

 _"_ _Hello boys and girls,"_ said Lynch. _"Heard you two were in distress and not even a flare to give us the signal. Sorry we took so long."_

 _"_ _Amanda, you beautiful bitch!"_ Newblood chanted. _"You owe me double on the Oregon!"_

 _"_ _Nice work, Lynch,"_ said Cage. _"The helis are down."_

 _"_ _Valor Team, be advised,"_ said HQ. _"Fifteen plus enemy foot-mobiles approaching north of your location. We also got a visual from Goliath Two. You got an helicopter loaded for bear. Approaching your area. Over."_

 _"_ _Eyes up!"_ Cayce warned. _"Enemy gunship coming in hot!"_

 _"_ _Scar Leader, take them down!"_ Cage ordered. _"That's a direct order!"_

 _"_ _All fighters, target the choppers and mobiles!"_ Lynch ordered.

Lynch's squadron flew down in attack formation lit the enemy up with rockets and bullets. Destroying the attack choppers with missiles and cutting down the boots on the ground with their guns popping the ground with bullets.

All targets were eliminated and dealt with. Making this a victory in the University Plaza.

 _"_ _Nice work, Scar Squadron,"_ said Cage. _"All targets down."_

 _"_ _Ya know, if you wanted our help, Captain,"_ said Lynch. _"You could've asked."_

 _"_ _Can it, Lynch. Thanks for the assist. We owe you twice now."_

 _"_ _Anytime, anywhere. All wings, fall out on me."_

"Why do women take forever?" I asked myself. As I'll always ask myself 'till the end of time itself.

 _"_ _The convoy's here!"_ Cage called out. _"Everyone on me! We're getting the hell outta here! Let's go, let's go!"_

Our evac convoy had arrived. With jeeps, hummers, and Seahawks ready to pick us up with the civilians. At last.

 _"_ _Madsen, the convoy is just south of Burger King,"_ said Cage. _"Get your ass over here! Move!"_

I hurry over to the convoy as fast as I could. Sprinting to the evac and away from the diner where I had been watching the show.

 _"_ _Commander, we gotta get back to the convoy!"_ Cayce shouted. _"Let's go!"_

"I'm going!" I shouted back.

And so Valor Team, the Berkeley students, and I made it to the convoy safely. The ground vehicles parked in the middle of University Avenue and the Seahawks landing to ground for evac.

As I regroup with Cayce, Kristine, Flint, and the others, I could see Cage and the squads helping the students out of Burger King one by one. And they all recognize me the second they turn their eyes on me. Victoria is the first young lady to do so.

"David Madsen?" Victoria thought. "Is – is that really you?!"

All the girls gasp in amazement to see the resigned Blackwell security chief in Chrysalis uniform.

"I don't believe it!" A girl with long blonde hair and makeup. "It's him!"

"And he's in the Chrysalis army now," said a girl with short dark hair.

"You…know this guy?" A British speaking young man asked. Newblood's nephew in exact.

"This guy, Freddy," said Victoria. "Used to be the Blackwell security brute I talked about."

"Oh, so you're the David Madsen from Blackwell. I see."

"Nice to see you too, Victoria," I said. "I'll never forget such a popular face in the halls of Blackwell and the Vortex Club. I'm glad you and your friends are okay."

"Well what do ya know," said Cage. "Victoria Chase. Never thought I'd find Ms. #NotATerrorist in the middle of Berkeley. Such a small world for what this war has become of us, isn't it?"

Two other girls in Victoria's gang, one with a ponytail and another with a hair bun, help up the young man with the broken arm only half conscious. Kristine walks up to help.

"How is he?" Kristine asked.

"Not good," said the young women with the ponytail. "Hayden's arm is badly infected and needs treatment badly! He's been stuck like this for days!"

"I'll get to work on him on the chopper right away."

 _"_ _Valor, this is HQ. Gimme a sitrep. Over."_

"HQ, this is Captain Cage. Be advised, the Berkeley students are secure and prepped for evac. But we have one civilian WIA and in need of a medic at base. We're Oscar Mike."

 _"_ _HQ copies all. Good job. Out."_

"Alright, Valor. Let's get these civvies out of Berkeley and straight to SF Spectre for a ride back to the Oregon. Time to show Admiral Penske how much our team kicked ass today. Oorah!"

"Hey, David," said Victoria.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Thank you. We've stuck here for days. We never thought we get out here."

"As you were, Victoria. As you were."

 **Note: So the other night, I played Farewell. I must say, not only are there tears for the Pricefield sendoff Deck Nine has given us, but tears for actually witnessing the death of William Price on screen. I say no more :(**

 **But as always, until next time, stay tuned and golden! ;)**


	18. SF Spectre

Chapter 18 SF Spectre

Max

July 12th, 2017

8:34 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

Making our way through the cave to find the Power Shard was no cake walk. After the puzzle, things were only obscured by more puzzles to bear with. That we did not.

In the caverns, there was a large chasm caused by a fallen wooden bridge. Nothing you'd see every day, but everything you'd see in Indiana Jones. Typical adventures of the Caulfield cousins come true.

"They're sure not making this easy, are they?" Alex asked.

"I imagine it was easier when all the…bridges and walkways weren't broken," I said.

"I guess we're a couple hundred, couple thousand years late. Let's see what's in here."

Alex finds a crawlspace near the broken bridge. That's where we enter as our shortcut way across this thousand-year-old cave.

We keep our flashlights on to see through the dark spaces when crawling through. I hope I don't get rabies from any possible rats crawling inside. Don't need that on my epitaph if I died that way on this journey. Not for Chloe, not for Alex, not for Mom and Dad or Uncle Bryan, not for anybody else.

"Hey, there's a low ceiling here," said Alex. "Watch your – ow!"

"Watch my…ow?" I snarked.

"Can it. This way. I see some light through here."

Avoiding our head past the low ceiling, Alex could see a way out of the space to some catacombs. Where we exit out of the dark spaces.

"Ah, catacombs," said Alex. Exiting the crawlspace.

"That makes sense," I said. "We're under a cathedral."

When going across the catacombs, I hear voices through a small hole. I take peak through the hole in the wall listen out. Alex walks next to me to investigate with me.

"What is it, Max?" Alex asked.

"Hold on," I replied.

"What?"

"Listen."

I hear the voice of a ConDef soldier talking as we overhear his voice. We peak through the hole to prove ourselves right.

It would also appear to be Elias Alkaline talking to one of his troops in a room on the other side of the catacombs. Alkaline himself was speaking to a soldier with side shaves and a mullet. A lieutenant perhaps. Analyzing a map of the Olympus Range.

"Anything noteworthy by the dormitories?" Alkaline asked.

"Not unless you count some cleverly worded headstones," replied the ConDef lieutenant.

"Have you finished digging by the chapter house?"

"We have, sir. The northwest sites are wide open as well."

"And what about the southern perimeter?"

"Not yet. It would take us a day to move the crane over there."

Someone was entering the room through a wooden door. Joanna Prescott in the flesh.

"Elias," said Joanna. Entering the room.

Alkaline held his finger up to hold Joanna's thought.

"Make it happen," said Alkaline to his lieutenant. "In the meantime, see what you can dig up without it."

"I'll send a couple of men over right away," replied the lieutenant.

"Good. Joan, any luck with those manuscripts?"

"Can we have a minute," asked Joanna to the lieutenant.

"Keep me updated," said Alkaline to his lieutenant.

"Yes, sir," complied the lieutenant.

The lieutenant does as he's told and leaves the room with the door closed behind. Leaving Joanna and Alkaline alone to talk in private.

"Did you hear?" Alkaline asked. "They found a whole annexed area under the cathedral. Plus, Chrysalis is now pushing back my army in San Francisco. And they've rescued James Amber to their stronghold."

James Amber? Rachel's dad is alive? Good news for Rachel. Whatever she feels about her dad still.

"I did," replied Joanna. "Have you seen the area?"

"No. Why?"

"Because there wasn't much left. After they'd finished 'finding' it."

"My men have been a bit liberal with the dynamite-"

"They're like a hundred well-armed bulls in a china shop."

"But, they've made more progress in two days than we've made in months."

Joanna scoffed.

"Progress?" She thought. "I can't analyze rubble."

Alkaline smirked.

"Okay," he said. "Okay."

"Thank you."

"I'll let them know to give you a heads up before they do anything drastic."

"Or you can tell them to sit tight until I analyze the few clues that haven't blow up while Chrysalis in America beats the other chunk of your army into a bloody pulp in San Francisco."

"No, we can't sit around waiting any longer."

"All due respect, I think I have a bit more experience with this sort of thing than you do."

"We tried things your way."

"Bullshit. You've been wanting to level this place ever since we got here."

"No. I wanted to steal that codex long before we were ready to make an exchange for it. The same exchange where I couldn't have my men around to deal with any surprises."

"The exchange was the cleanest way to get to the codex-"

"But instead of going with my gut, I listened to you. And we let Mr. Rojas get his feet cold and we were rewarded to a forgery as a result."

"And it didn't help but to exchange a forgery for a forgery with that counterfeit stunt you tempted to pull. That makes us even."

"And now we have competition!"

"Well I didn't think she'd show up!"

The arguing partners take a few seconds of silence from their argument. Until one's tongue tempts to win it again.

"Or maybe you wanted to draw her out," said Alkaline.

Joanna scoffed again.

"Why – why the fuck would I do that?" She questioned.

"Because you think you need her. And maybe you do. Point is, I'm done trying to do things the clean way. If the shard is here, we'll find it. And if not, well, maybe it's time to move on, huh?"

Joanna frowned at her partner's words. Sensing insubordination through her ears.

"Hey, it's not personal," said Alkaline.

The ConDef general laid his hand on the herd leader's face as she gave him a small smile. Pretending to be comforted.

"Of course," replied Joanna. "But just so you know, this is Ares we're talking about. An immortal being who doesn't like words 'time to move on'. And if you can't handle that, I will."

"I'll let you know if anything turns up."

Alkaline gave her a pat on the shoulder and left the room.

Draw her out? Think she needs her? Who's her? Me or Alex?

Since I began this suicide trip with my only cousin, things were shady from the start. Seeing the secret history of time travel and the Herd of Whales back at Bryan's estate, every guru turned psycho in my life being part of the secret cult, the return of my Cleveland principal who just so happens to be related to and just as ruthless and unpredictable as her late brother and late nephew?

Whatever unexpected ties that bind here, just when I thought I cut all ties back in Arcadia Bay three years ago, my life keeps getting better and better with the cat still not out of the bag.

Meanwhile, while my roommate/soulmate as well as my parents believe I'm taking my once in a lifetime opportunity of the so-called Vancouver job, I'm fucking around with Alex back from the dead still being lured into the lion's den of this fantasy I've entered since the day Chloe almost killed herself blackmailing an evil babe's nephew that I've been peacefully escaping three years in a row. And still it's never enough.

Joanna in the room looked uptight about Alkaline's words and even swept the maps and pictures of the Olympus Range off the table and slammed her fists against it. Frustrated for not getting her way.

I could see that look in her eye of the same look Sean and Nathan always gave whenever they went rogue. I don't know if it's fortune or ruthlessness that runs in the Prescott family, but I can sure tell Joanna and Sean must've been a real negligible burden on Nathan that got him killed. More than Jefferson and Crosby ever were. Whom were both covers for brother and sister.

I still thought about what Alkaline said to Joanna. Whoever "her" was, made me wonder if I could ever trust my own cousin and uncle for what they've dragged me into. The secret history, the exchange, the lair, and now this cave under the mountain. Won't know until I risk my life of trust once more.

"Let's get moving before they blow that shard to bits," I said.

"Or they start making out," snarked Alex. "Hey, wait. You think he was right, though?"

"About what?"

"About Joanna wanting to draw you out."

"As long as she doesn't get the upper hand, who cares? Doesn't matter."

David

July 12th, 2017

12:40 PM

Marin Headland, California

SF Spectre

After the successful rescue of the Berkeley students, the team and I were setting course to SF Spectre on Seahawk. The base was located in the Marin Headlands outside San Francisco where refugees from San Fran and Berkeley were kept safe. Where James and Rose Amber were now being held safely. And now where Victoria, her boyfriend, and friends should be held as well.

Our air vehicle was to make a landing down at SF in ETA one minute. Our team was split between different choppers as usual. Cage's team on one chopper, mine on another.

I contacted HQ to send a word to them of our arrival.

"HQ, this is Commander Madsen," I said. "Valor One and Two are on different choppers and prepped for arrival on SF Spectre in ETA thirty seconds. What's the word on the base? Do we know how long these refugees have been holed up there?"

 _"_ _We have not been provided many details, Commander. Word is, Senator Amber has made a recovery and is awaiting your arrival now. He may provide you more info when your down there."_

"Copy that, HQ. Madsen out."

Our chopper makes a landing on helipad near the base and so does Cage's with the half of the team. We hop out of our Seahawks to see everyone's been busy.

Chrysalis troops had been making a line of defense at the supply depot at the near where we landed. I could see Cage rounding up Heard, Newblood, and Logos while I round up Kristine, Cayce, Flint, and Mason inside base.

Every one of us enters through an opening bulkhead door where we see James and his wife waiting for us with an escort. James himself was still recovering with a crutch stick he held with his left arm. He used it to walk forward closer to us when speaking.

"Commander Madsen, how are you doing?" James asked.

"I should be asking you that," I said.

"I'm alright. They just picked up the last few civilians from Berkeley. Couple of college students trapped there."

"I believe we rescued those college students, senator," said Cayce. "Why are you here now?"

"I'm here to protect these people from Alkaline and his attack dogs."

"Senator Amber, we meet again," said Cage. "How ya holding up?"

"I've been better. Captain Cage, was it?"

"It is. We met earlier back at City Hall. I believe you once took on a custody hearing with my wife and I back in Arcadia Bay when I was to be her kids' adopted father."

"I believe you were partly responsible for the Blackwell shooting three years ago. Where's your family now?"

"They're gone. They all passed away during the storm that occurred Arcadia. My team is the only family I have left now."

"My condolences."

"What's happened to Berkeley?" Rose asked.

"In shambles," I answered. "We were lucky to get the former Vortex Club out of there when we could."

James felt a sting in his rib. Still needing a recovery from his injuries caused by the torture.

"Sure you're okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he replied. "I'll walk it off. Save my life one more time and I'll start owing you."

"This one's on the house."

"I believe you met my wife, Rose. She's actually my associate and vice-supervisor here."

"Tell us what's going on," I asked. "Intel says you're husband has an angle on ConDef."

"He does," replied Rose. "Angles coming from Chrysalis espionage that's fed to Chrysalis intelligence and eventually passed over to James. I'm helping him protecting the refugees here. If not for you, we'd be dead."

"Why does Alkaline want to kill you?"

"Our stories are different, but the themes are the same. My husband and I each got an angle on ConDef that tells they were planning some kind of strange operation. Operation Ares is what they called it. Which all began in Seattle. As we progressed our knowledge, we started feeling like we were signing each other's death warrants. And we were once we were captured and tortured by those monsters."

"Alkaline doesn't mess around. If he can't control it, he'll destroy it."

"The counterattack here has to be a significant loss for him," said James.

"You had to know they were going to find you," I said.

"It's a pretty smart bunch," said Rose. "We covered our bases."

"But Alkaline is one tenacious bastard," said James.

We could hear a tremor form outside the closed bulkhead door behind us. ConDef was close and it was time for extraction.

"Time to evacuate," I said.

"Agreed," said James. "Just need to get the AA guns on the roof back online. ConDef is jamming them somehow. With those guns down, ConDef will just blow our escape shuttles out of the sky."

"Might be the network link," said Rose.

"I'll check and meet you upstairs."

"James, you should rest and get your wounds looked at," I said.

"I'm good. I mean, I will."

"David, we should see to our people," said Rose. "Join us upstairs when you can."

The political couple left our presence as well as a few of our team. Except for Cage, Kristine, Cayce, and Flint. We would be joining them shortly.

"So those are Rachel Amber's parents," said Cayce. "Always wanted to meet them in person. Rachel used to speak about them back when her and I were partners. Pretty harsh relationship she had with them back in Arcadia Bay."

"Was that before the Bolivian Insurgency?" Kristine asked.

"Indeed it was. By the looks of those two, they seemed inviting. Both faithfully and deceptively as Rachel used to say."

"In what ways?"

"You probably don't want to know."

Cayce did tell a story about him and Rachel working together during the Bolivian civil war that occurred before the Portland incident three years prior. Explaining why and how she disappeared all those months before revealing her mock-up death.

Not to mention Cage, Mason, Heard, Logos, and Newblood were all there as well. Long before I joined the corps.

"I'll be upstairs in the control center when you're ready," said Cage. "See ya in a few."

"Gotta to admit," said Flint. "This is one cozy place of a refugee base."

"Let's just focus on the mission, Flint," I said.

Promenading through the base of SF Spectre was like walking through a mall or airport. There were civilians and soldiers crowding the compound through security lines and gates. Security was tighter than a prison at this base knowing the circumstance of the outside world is around these people now. Safe from the ConDef attack as they could possibly be.

Refugees were either gathered in rooms to be fed and sheltered or lined up for evacuation via chopper. Where they would be taken to the sanctuary held on the Oregon.

On the way upstairs to the control center, we could see Newblood and Logos talking to the students we just rescued. Victoria and friends of course. As well as Newblood's nephew named Freddy who's now Victoria's new partner.

"Look, it's David Madsen!" A blonde girl shouted. Who was one of Victoria's.

The rest of Victoria's friends all smiled and waved for my attention. Somehow, I'm more of popular guy now to them with a Chrysalis uniform on than I do with a Blackwell security outfit on. Or maybe they're just glad to see I don't have to and this is how I treat my resignation from a failed security chief.

The four of us walk over to Victoria's group and the two of my team to chat in our Blackwell reunion.

"David Madsen, nice outfit," said Victoria. "Once a soldier boy, always a soldier boy."

"Tell me about it," said a black-haired girl next to Victoria.

"Nice to see you've made it in one piece, Victoria Chase," I said. "Now if I can just remember all you Nancy Drews, you're Taylor, Courtney, Dana, Juliet, that's Hayden, and you're-"

"I'm Freddy, sir," said Victoria's boyfriend as I pointed to him next to his uncle. "I'm new to you. Yeah, I've never been to Blackwell. Just stories I here from Vic is all."

Having a bad memory with Blackwell names since leaving the campus, it was now all coming down to me revisiting the popular kids in class. One that always caught my attention in the halls.

"Right," I said. "So where have you all been and what've you been up to since graduation?"

"We have been starting our own Sorority community at Berkeley since then, David," replied Victoria. "While Logan and Zach started their new lives in college football at Oregon State, the rest of us decided to begin our lives here. Three years of piece from such a wasted town known as Arcadia Bay, three years of seeing Freddy, and three years of achieving a masters at Berkeley. And should I mention three years of piece from quantum mass hysteria. The Blackwell shooting considered."

"I remember you rallying an army of Blackwell protestors at that time. You were a real hero to Max and Rachel with your 'Not A Terrorist' campaign. You and your friends really haven't changed much since Arcadia Bay."

"In retrospect," said the girl named Dana. "Neither have you, Mr. Madsen. But in hindsight, we've come a long way from our lives on the bay actually. Longer now than it seems."

"How did you and your friends get out of the bombing?" I asked Victoria. "And how did you end up getting stuck in restaurant for three days?"

"The bombings started when we were all having a good time at our fraternity party we had," said Victoria. "One moment, I was getting a beer for Freddy, the next World War III broke out. We ran out of there as fast as we could until an explosion knocked us out and Freddy came to the rescue on his truck. Eventually, we found help from some Chrysalis soldiers and they helped us stay safe inside the restaurant."

I look over to the boy named Hayden. Seeing his broken arm wrapped around in gaze.

"How's your boy's arm doing?" I asked. "He was passed out when Captain Cage held him around his back."

"I'm good for now," said Hayden. "I grazed my arm while falling to ground almost getting caught in an explosion. Been running an infection for three days, but I'm alright."

"You've been saying you're alright for three days now," said the girl named Juliet. "Now you're alright since you've been properly treated by a medic."

When Juliet brought up the word medic, Victoria turned her head towards the medic who treated him who was named Kristine. The sister of the late Nathan Prescott. The two of them having crossed paths with each, Victoria recognized my lieutenant's face.

"Hey, I recognize you," said Victoria. Turning to Kristine. "Your Nathan's sister. I'm sure we've seen each other at Nathan funeral and that last visit we took to his grave."

"Yeah, we have," replied Kristine. "I'll never forgot how much Nathan talked highly of you before he passed on. Glad we could see each other again, you and I."

"You kids behave yourselves now," I said. "I'll see you all on the Oregon when evac is over."

"Hey, David," said Newblood. "Thanks for helping me come get my nephew. Had I known he'd be here, I couldn't have done it without you. I owe ya."

"Appreciate it, Sergeant. Glad I could save a family member's life."

When leaving the Berkeley gang, Flint seemed to have an attraction for the former Blackwell girls. They were his age and thought he could hit on them for a moment. But not in front of them.

"Hey, Cayce," said Flint. "You think one of those Berkeley girls and a guy like me-"

"No, Flint," replied Cayce. "I don't."

Flint smiled. Getting ideas flirt with them when he had the chance.

We reached the control center to find people taking control of the security systems and defense grid. Tempting to override the jamming to no avail. We knew they were going to need our help to do better and had to get to it.

I could see Rose talking to one of her managers in the room. We walk to her to speak to her.

"And make those civilians from the mission district get out on the second chopper," said Rose.

"We've already lost the civilians from Visitacion Valley," said the manager. "And we already got our hands full on the ones from Portola."

"We're going to make it."

With reassurance from Rose, the manager left her presence as his supervisor caught eyes on us approaching to speak.

"What's the status of the guns?" I asked.

"Still waiting," said Rose. "I have my best people on it."

"How many civilians and soldiers do we have here?"

"Forty-three civilians. Plus, eighty-six troops."

"Only forty-three civilians out of the eight-hundred thousand in San Francisco?!" Cayce questioned.

"San Fran took a serious blow to the population within seventy-two hours of casualties. Citizens and soldiers combined. Even spread across Berkeley. Had we evacuated sooner, we could've saved more."

"Admiral Penske said at least half the population of San Fran was extracted within twenty-four hours," said Kristine. "Surely more had to survive than just forty-three."

"There's no room for eight-hundred thousand in this base. The rest of the civilians that made it out were either taken to other bases for refuge or the sanctuaries held on your fleet."

Another one of the managers in the control center walked over to Rose to inform her of more setbacks.

"Rose, we can't possibly get the civilians from Bernal Heights out in time," said the manager.

"I'm sorry, Baynar," said Rose. "I'm not interested in any setbacks. Right now, you need to find a way to get those families from Bernal out of here or we won't get anyone out of here at all."

The manager named Baynar left Rose and back to his duty.

"If we have families here," I said. "I assume we have children to deal with too?"

"Yes," replied Rose. "We have about seventeen kids here. Partners, spouses, parents. James and I promised these people refuge. A new life free from ConDef. I just never imagined Alkaline would…"

"That's evil counts on. That it's hard for good people to imagine."

Rose her shook her head.

"Okay," I said. "Everyone left gets out of here alive. This escape will have to be carefully executed."

"I'd hoped," said Rose. "We tried so hard to make sure it wouldn't come to this."

Rose left us for a moment to resume to her duty. Then James approached us for a word with us.

"What's the news?" I asked.

"Can't tell," replied James. "I only know I can't fix it from here. I need to go to the roof. ConDef landed a chopper there a few minutes ago deploy their troops. You in?"

"James, you're injured. We'll fix the guns."

"No way. These are my people. I'll bring a gun with me. I'm going."

"I of all people know what it's like for someone to lose their father and their husband. I understand your Rachel's father and Rose's husband who I both know can't lose you the way Chloe lost her dad and Joyce lost her first husband."

"Fine, but I'm going to talk you through it from here. ConDef is probably jamming the satellite link. Radio me when you've found the controls and I'll give you the override code."

"Will do."

"Not without me you aren't," said Cage. Approaching our presence. "I know what it's like to lose family as well considered. I'll be fighting to keep these families alive on the outside while Heard and the rest of the team protect them from the inside."

"Senator, we've managed to reestablish coms!" A manager shouted. "I have Admiral Penske. He'd like to speak to you."

"Patch him through," said James.

The five of us walk up to monitors with James and Rose in the front of the room to talk to Penske. The admiral himself appeared on screen from the Oregon.

 _"_ _Good news, Senator Amber?"_ Penske asked.

"Good as it gets, Admiral," replied James

 _"_ _So I see. What's your status on the base?"_

"Not good, sir. Some ConDef forces just dropped and are jamming our satellite uplink and defense grid. We can only temporarily keep our coms in line."

 _"_ _Captain Harvest has come up with a plan. But without you, I'm not sure we could pull it off."_

"ConDef forces are clustered all over San Fran and our choppers can't evacuate the civilians on this base unless we get out anti-aircraft batteries back online. If we could reactivate the guns, our birds may be protected from any resistance airborne."

 _"_ _I'll initiate evacuation procedures on the Oregon and the rest of the fleet to give those civilians the sanctuary they need. I only have handful of ships, Senator. It's a big risk, but I'm confident-"_

Suddenly, the lights went out and the power was down. Now the coms and defense grid wasn't the only thing down. Is ConDef knocking out whole power too?

People in the room were in a panic. I could hear civilians outside the room panicking and clamoring in the dark.

"Emergency generators, now!" James ordered.

"Shielding failed," said a manager. "Their down and charging."

"As soon as they're up, reestablish contact with Admiral Penske. Let him know-"

Then the monitor came back on with a more sinister figure on screen. No one but the quantum terrorizing menace himself and leader of the Continuum Defense Front.

 _"_ _This is General Elias Alkaline of the Continuum Defense Front. All Chrysalis forces of SF Spectre are to surrender themselves now and give up all civilians to Continuum now. Or there will be grim consequences…"_

And all of sudden, something else had been jamming Alkaline's transmission. Something more elusive. Something more sinister. Something more demonically god-like.

 _"_ _You are, all of you vermin,"_ said the malevolent figure before us on the monitor.

This malevolent figure wore a horned helmet over his head and some kind of fantasy armor decorated in razors. Whoever this figure was, he looked worse than Alkaline.

 _"_ _Cowering in the dirt thinking…what I wonder?"_ The figure continued. _"That you might escape the coming fire? No. Your world will burn until it's surface is nothing but glass. And not even your traveler will live to creep. Blackened from its hole to mar the reflection of our passage. The culmination of our journey for your destruction is for the will of the gods. And I…I, Ares, the god of war, am their instrument!"_

The transmission ended and the power was back on. The lights, the monitors, everything. Everyone at the base returned calm. For now.

Ares? The god of war? I don't have the greatest knowledge for any mythology, but this took me back to acknowledging Operation Ares that started in Seattle. Could this god-like figure be the reason why the ConDef operation was named Ares?

"Whoever that freaky bastard was," said Cage. "He sure loved to run his mouth."

"Did you hear what he called himself, Commander?" Cayce asked. "Ares, the god of war? Operation Ares? Does that have any connection to you?"

"He also mentioned a traveler," added Kristine. "What's a traveler? Who's 'our' traveler?"

"No idea," I said. "But now I'm even more freaked out than I ever been in. We should inform this to the Pentagon."

"The Pentagon probably already knows," said Cayce. "This transmission appeared to be worldwide."

"Give the order," said James to one of his managers. "We're closing shop."

"Sir?" The manager asked.

"We're about to get hit. The civilians, we're getting them all out."

"Sir, squad leaders are requesting a rally point for evac. Where should they go?"

Before James could leave the room, still walking around with his crutch, he answered the man's question without question.

"To the Oregon," he answered.


	19. Lahkesis

Chapter 19 Lahkesis

Max

July 12th, 2017

8:50 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

In search of the annexed room Joanna and Alkaline spoke of, we walk through the caves hoping to be even closer to shard. Wherever the room was, it had to be in a side chamber since we're the only ones here. At this point, we better not take another death trap and hope we're at the end of this thing.

When we are close, we could see statues of more knights up some step down a hall. May be a sign of the annexed room dead ahead.

"Okay, getting a bit dramatic with the statues here," I said.

"Seriously," said Alex. "Why decorate a place where a few magical shards are kept?"

"Or build elaborate test? I mean, either we're missing something or Ezra was really, really bored."

Down the hall, there's another door to open with another switch to pull to open it. I do just that by sticking my arm inside the hole where the switch is as the door simply rolls open. No elaborate test, no spinning wheels, no nothing. We'll never get used to pulling switches in here.

As soon as the door rolls open, a room unveils before us. And what room would that be? The annexed room we were promised to see.

As promising as the room was, there was too something valuable in the room itself. And what would it be? Nothing but a purple jewel sitting in the middle of a pedestal. The Power Shard.

There must've been other rooms in this cave where the Mind and Soul shards were kept, but this was the correct room with the correct shard we were looking for. The Eternity Shard we had found before Joanna, Alkaline, and even Ares did.

We approached the pedestal where the shard had sat. Ogling our prize and prepared to claim it.

"There it is," said Alex. "The Power Shard. Just like the one we saw on the cartographer, right?"

Alex reached for the shard, but I stop her.

"Whoa, whoa, don't!" I snap. "Don't touch it!"

"What?! Why?!" Alex muttered.

"Look at it. It's the only valuable thing we've seen in this cave."

"Right."

"This is another test."

"Power."

"Yeah, or lack thereof."

"Okay, so…"

"It has to be me."

"What do you mean it has to be you?"

"In Ezra's journal, I actually recall reading something about that 'For those who prove worthy' quote from Jeremiah. There was entry written with it that said that only a traveler can claim the shards. Anyone else will be consumed by its power."

"Consumed? You mean killed?"

"Yeah, killed."

"You're telling me that now?"

"Better late than never."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Well, pretty sure."

"'Pretty sure' will have to do."

"Alright, just let me do it."

"Power. I got it."

"Please don't be a trap."

I take a deep breath in prayers of me proving worthy of touch this shard of power. My fingers gradually approaching the shard. Inches away from proving tangible of my worth.

When my fingers touch the shard, I could feel a source of energy vibrate through my skin. It stings at first, but it tells me that I'm worthy enough to lay every finger on it.

I then pick up the shard and hold it with my other fingers. Confirming I, the traveler, worthy of this Eternity Shard known as the Power Shard to hold it in my grasp.

I now hold the shard with the palm of my hand. Then the whole room goes dark. Darker than the cave itself. So dark, the two of us can't see each other's skins.

But the purple shard before me glows a luminous purple light. Not only lighting our face, but also a projection from the ceiling of a map of another European country under our feet.

It was Italy. I chuckled in the face of my worth of holding this shard and the biggest clue we've found yet in this cave. One we sort of knew from Ezra's journal.

"You recognize this shape?" I asked.

"It's Italy," answered Alex.

I notice a star shaped index in the middle of the map. One pointing out to a location of a city in Italy.

"Look, the star right here," I pointed.

"That's Rome," said Alex.

"Yes, it is."

"Son of a bitch. He's screwing with us."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ezra. He's screwing with us. This was supposed to be it. You're somehow worthy of holding that shard cause of the power you have, but how does that get us to the goddamn ark, huh? I mean, Rome? Great, but what's next? North Pole? Outer space? Max?"

I hold Alex's thought for a moment before another word. I stare at the ceiling a second or two to gather my thoughts on the clues we've uncovered up until now. Then it all comes down to one thing.

"For those who prove worthy," I begin. "Paradise awaits. He – he was recruiting."

"Who was recruiting?"

"Ezra was recruiting."

"Recruiting for what?"

"Recruiting for the great journey before you," said an ominous female voice.

Before I ask 'who said that', we turn around to see a tall, floating, female figure descending before us. A figure that looked like a character straight out of Final Fantasy: Spirits Within. Or rather in fact, a Greek mythology come true.

The figure herself reminded me of one drawn in Ezra's diary. One with a crown on her head, wings behind her back, a Greek made dress, and a staff in her hands. I knew who she was as my cousin and I stood before her and witnessed her with our own eyes.

"Hello, Max Caulfield. Traveler of Arcadia Bay. I am Lahkesis. First sister of Moirai and protector of the Eternity Shards. My fellow sisters and I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Wowser. I've only seen this spiritual Greek lady within seconds and I've seen more stranger things than her and I'm being introduced to her like a next-door neighbor.

Our jaws drop. Should have expected her to dispatch out of nowhere when we got here? Wondering what to say after Lahkesis's introduction until I actually say something to her.

"How – how do you know my name?" I ask awkwardly. "Are – are you a spirit?"

"The celestials know the names of many travelers before you, Max," replied Lahkesis. "Including yours. Many before you have seen us as spirits. We consider ourselves philosophers. Ones who aid guidance to travelers who thrive and protect the shards from raiders who wither. I alone am at your service for the great journey that proceeds you, Maxine Caulfield."

"It's Max, actually," Alex reminds Lahkesis. As I've reminded every non-celestial before her. "Never Maxine."

Alex of all people have always noted how I desire to be named just as well as Chloe always has.

Where do I begin with the many questions I have for Lahkesis? To the answers I've been demanding from a mystery I've endured for four years since. Even after Crosby's answers and Uncle Bryan answers.

Speaking for myself, this is how I begin.

"Why are you here?" I ask. "Why am I a traveler? What does Ares want with this shard and what does it do? And what's the great journey before me and upon me? And why was I given my power to become a traveler? Why me?"

The sister smiled. Preparing to answer the answered before me. Prepared to discuss the lore behind my powers and the travelers.

"What I'm about to say will exceed your knowledge," replied Lahkesis. "The knowledge that is only half the oath of what you already know. In this very cavern, an English king named Arthur, was the first to recruit the men worthy to set course of the great journey to bringing balance to all time and space in the universe. With him, his wizard, Merlin. The first mortal traveler to wield the power you now carry. Who proved worthy of a traveler, as you now have, and helped Arthur and his knights of Loomis fight the Saxons in the first Eternity War."

Merlin the wizard? The first traveler to wield my time powers? That's one plot hole buried.

"Centuries later," continued Lahkesis. "A professor named Ezra Prescott along with his right hand, Jeremiah Blackwell, came to this cavern and continued what Arthur and Merlin began centuries earlier. Recruited the men proved worthy of paradise and disdained the men proved false and beheld their grim fates. Together, them and the Herd of Whales they and their people were known by, set sail for Meridian Prime in the second Eternity War. Fighting against their adversaries for the Ark of Genesis just as King Arthur and his army had thousands of years previously."

I don't believe Lahkesis is telling us things we haven't known for ourselves, but we hear her out for things we haven't heard just yet.

"Unfortunately, in both conquests, the first and second Eternity Wars were thwarted by Ares the god of war. Discouraging the hope for the balance of continuum. Killing Ares and Merlin as well as Ezra and Jeremiah to win the war for himself, deeming the Eon Codex and Eternity Shards as well as his very own weapon the Eternity Gauntlet. A weapon capable of wiping out half the universe."

Sounds like the Ares we've come to learn.

"You were given this power for only one purpose, Max. It wasn't to save your betrothal, Chloe Price, from an unthinkable fate, it wasn't to save the world from the end of time Chronos orchestrated, it was because the bloodline you share with the Herd of Whales family tree. A bloodline your family shares with the Prescotts and Blackwells."

"Bloodline?" I thought. "The Herd of Whales family tree? I don't understand?"

"There many things about your bloodline you have yet to understand. Many revelations I must reveal to your mind it deserves. Ezra Prescott, was too a traveler. Discovering the power to wield time and kept it hidden between him and his secret society. That power was eventually and secretly passed down to Caulfield at one time. Decades before you and after Ezra's passing. Prompting the Caulfields to become in league with the Herd of Whales. You were chosen for this power in hopes to be a beacon of hope for your advocates. A person devoted, fearless, and selfless to her own esteem and to those who've looked up to you until. Including your closest confidants, Chloe and Alex. We believed your mindset and personality would carry those attribute for coming storm upon us. That is the third Eternity War that's now arrived."

"It doesn't make any sense," I said. "My personality? My attributes? My family part of the Herd of Whales? What does any of this mean?!"

"Not many of your ancestors had been passed this power, Max. Much less a role in the Herd of Whales. You may have never asked of this power, but if there's anything you've always asked for, it's of hope and piece from your insecurity and living up to your optimism. What the sisters, celestials, and I have come to expect from you. To prove yourself worthy of a paradise that awaits you."

"You know what," said Alex. "That's all well and good getting the gist of my cousin's powers and our bloodline and yada, yada, yada. The answers you haven't given us for the sake of our guidance is what is this Power Shard Max is now carrying cause of her worth? And why is Joanna and Alkaline blasting and digging every last corner of this cave to get to it? And why is Ares so hellbent on making the two of them to all the heavy lifting for him?"

"If you please, there are many things about that shards that I must make extremely plain if they're to get in your hands. The Power Shard Max now holds is capable of giving it's host the power to cleanse the essence of all life in the universe. The Mind Shard, that was once here, holds the power to read minds of knowledge and break minds into fear. The Soul Shard, carries the power to resurrect souls from their demise or reanimate them as Fallen minions."

Nothing Sherlock Holmes has sort of told us. According to Ezra's diary that is.

"For all of millennia the gods and I had known Ares, he only ever had one ambition. To wipe out half the universe and balance it for anew. The ones you call Joanna and Alkaline have not yet discovered the location of the Power Shard that is now in your hands. And although they have recovered the Mind and Soul shards for Ares, if Ares alone were to acquire the other four Eternity Shards, he could demolish your world with the snap of his finger."

"Where is Ares now?" I asked.

"Ares is now in a destination know to you as San Francisco. Attempting to strip bare of a local stronghold your primitive army known as Chrysalis from their defense of his attack on the civilization. There isn't much time to explain further. Protect that Power Shard with your life, Max Caulfield. It must never fall into the hands of Ares or your adversaries known as the Continuum Defense Front. The great journey to Ark of Genesis is just beginning for you, Max. Don't let it end before it begins. For reclamation and the mantle of possibility rest upon your shoulders."

After Lahkesis's last words, she dispersed into thin air without a trace and left us alone in the dark annexed room. The room now returned back to brightness, but still projecting the map of Italy with the glowing shard I was still holding.

The reclamation? The mantle of possibility? I've heard those words before. I knew when, but where?

"The reclamation?" Alex thought.

"The mantle of possibility?" I thought. "That's it!"

Before I could explain my thought, an explosion burst in the room. Blowing a hole through the wall and spreading rubble into our faces.

We faltered to the ground as the dust from the explosion was evaporating and coughed it up through our lungs. The rubble formed a big light passed the hole allowing ConDef soldiers with rifles in hand and their General Alkaline to make way for as we get off the ground.

The enemy troopers held their guns on us as we got up. Still holding onto the shard before it slipped my grip. The gray haired general in his military uniform approached us menacingly to confront us with his lieutenant we saw in the room with Joanna and other couple of his men.

"Ah, shit," I said.

"You ladies are very, very noisy," said Alkaline.

"Ha, says the asshole who blew a hole through the wall," said Alex.

"Guns on the floor," ordered Alkaline. "Slowly."

We do as the man tells and take our pistols out of our holsters to slowly and drop them on the stone ground. Alkaline takes a step forward to me once we disarm ourselves.

"I still owe you from last time," he said to me.

"Fake cash in the middle of a bar fight didn't do it for you?" I asked.

Alkaline reached for his walkie-talkie to contact Joanna.

"Joanna," he said on the radio. "Joanna, come in."

 _"_ _I'm at the graveyard,"_ responded Joanna. _"Elias, they were here."_

"Yeah, I'm looking at them right now."

 _"_ _What? Where are you?"_

"Come back to the cathedral. Follow the holes."

 _"_ _I'm on my way. And for God's sake, don't shoot them yet."_

"Might want to hurry then."

The terrorist leader but his radio away and smiled to our eyes. Detecting the projected map of Italy under his boots.

"Rome," he pointed.

"Yeah," said Alex. "But, um, where in Rome?"

"And I see you've found the Power Shard for us. Your services are much appreciated."

"In that case, Elias, you'll need Max to find the other shard for you too. Cause only she can hold onto those."

"Let me guess, cause she's a traveler?"

"Bingo. You actually figured it out. Don't know how. Don't really care."

"Ares told me so. No question asked."

"Well, you wanna leave it to Joanna," I said. "You're gonna be waiting a long time."

"Sorry, girls. I'm not here to negotiate. Bring me the shard."

Before one of Alkaline's goons could take the shard from me, I stop him with my words.

"Hold on," I said. "Aren't you forgetting something? Only traveler can hold onto this which is me. This isn't just some fine jewelry that you can rob out of a – you know what, never mind."

The soldier reached for my hand to take the shard from me. Knowing he wasn't allowed to, Alkaline immediately jumped himself to warn his man not to.

"Don't touch it!" Alkaline snapped.

Too late. The ConDef thug seized my hand to actually touch the shard himself only for something rash to happen. Only for something to devastate him into something that would perish him for good.

An agonizing death at best, a fate worse than death at worst.

 **Note: Nothing imperative to discuss, but I believe last week was St. Patrick's Day. I don't recall wearing green and even if I did, it's an Irish holiday. Not an American holiday. Even if I didn't, don't childishly pinch me. Call me a hypocrite. Lol.**

 **One thing to imperatively note is that there are only two more chapters to go and the second episode is over! Hooray! I'm also gonna lay out that the second episode for The Lost Daughter will finally come off hiatus and will resume work after this episode of Eternity War is over. Something that's been long overdue since. Decisions are decisions.**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden! ;)**


	20. Danger Close

Chapter 20 Danger Close

Cayce

July 12th, 2017

1:05 PM

Marin Headland, California

SF Spectre

David, Kristine, Flint, and I go along with Cage up to the rooftops of the base were the AA guns are offline to bring them back online. The captain himself takes point in front of us to walk up to the roof while everyone else inside preps for evac. Cage also put Heard in charge of the rest of the team to help the Ambers evacuate every soldier and civilian at base.

We take the ventilation shafts to get to the roof. Cage contacts HQ to notify and update them on the situation.

"HQ, this is Captain Cage. SF Spectre is preparing evac for civilians at base, but no one's leaving until we get the AA guns back online. Otherwise the base will be left defenseless and the evac birds will be blown into oblivion. We're settling that problem as we speak."

 _"_ _Copy, Captain. Be advised, we are getting reports of possible Fallen activity and a UFO sighted at the Golden Gate Bridge. The activity may just be hitting the Marin Headland near SF Spectre. So ConDef won't be the only threat at the base if it ever does."_

"Copy that, HQ. We'll keep our eyes peeled. Cage out."

"Possible Fallen activity?" I thought. "A UFO? Since when did Fallen ever become part of this war? And what do they mean by UFO?"

"Don't forget that Ares guy that just appeared on screen," said Kristine.

"I thought this was a war," said Flint. "Not a fantasy story."

"It's not, Private," said Cage. "It's the real world and as real as this war is gonna get."

"I don't want to offend you, Captain," said David. "But I agree with the greenhorn."

"Let's can it for now, Commander. We've got some guns to bring back online and that's that. Now let's move."

When we're out of the shafts and on the rooftop, we see two ConDef troops down in front. We grab some cover behind some air duct walls to pinpoint the two tangos.

"Got the jump on them, Captain," I said.

"Weapons free on my command," said Cage. "Smoke 'em!"

The five of us get the jump on them and hit him hard as the bullets knock them dead on the floor. We know there are more enemies to encounter.

"We have to locate the satellite tower," said Kristine.

"Not until we shoot through them first," said David.

As we ran across more enemies closing in, the satellite dish was in front of us. We cleared the area in front of the dish of ConDef troops with our own guns before reaching the controls to override it. The enemy troops must've been posted here to guard it.

Once the enemy guards are down, we reach for the telemetry override and let Kristine handle the controls to override the dish. Once the satellite is back online, David contacts James to inform him.

"James, dish should be back online now," said David.

 _"_ _Affirmative,"_ replied James. _"But the guns are still down. You'll need to manually reactivate them. Head back to the front of the facility."_

"Hostiles landing!" I warned.

ConDef reinforcements were being dropped off by helicopter. Right near the front of the building between the AA guns were James said they were.

We all get back to cover and engage the hostiles before us. Strategizing a way to take back control of the guns past the engaging hostiles.

To make strategies even more dicey, there was a ConDef soldier taking control of a mounted machine turret between the guns. Using it against us and firing it's fifty Cal ammunition on us at will.

"Enemy on the mounted gun!" I warned.

"Got to get him off that gun!" David shouted.

"We can't take any chances taking back those guns one at a time!" Cage shouted. "Madsen, time for us to divide again! You take the rook and Foley to the gun on the right! Prescott and I will get the one on the left!"

"Roger!" David complied. "You heard the captain! Move up! Keep low and find cover!"

The five of us split as ordered. I followed David with Flint to the right gun while Kristine followed Cage to the left.

We keep our head as low as possible to avoid getting shredded to death by the hijacked turret. While also engaging more hostile left and right from where we split up to where we pressed forward to the guns.

"We have to get up there and activate those AA guns manually!" David reminded.

The three of us on our side of the guns used a ladder to get up to it. As well as Kris and Cage did on their side.

The gunner on the turret noticed us coming up the ladders and dismounted to engage us by rifle. Not before David could kill him with his own rifle. Then the turret was ours to use and the guns were ours to take back control of again.

Cage on his side was able to manually reactive the left gun via override switch. Turn it sideways and pressing it down like a cylinder. The first gun had been overridden but the power circuit was incomplete.

 _"_ _Power restored. Gun one reset. Circuit incomplete."_

 _"_ _The other gun is still down, Madsen,"_ said Cage. _"That's your cue."_

"On it," replied David.

David reached for the override switch to turn it and reactivate the right gun on our end. But before he could, the switch and shocked his hand off and malfunctioned on him.

 _"_ _Failure at junction. Repair and reset."_

"Okay, one of us has to make these repairs," said David.

 **X/SQUARE/LM – CAYCE REPAIRS**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – FLINT REPAIRS**

"Flint, I need you to fix this," chose David. "Can you do that?"

"I'll make the repairs," replied Flint.

"Ready, Cayce?"

"Let them do their worst," I said.

More helicopters were on the way to drop off more cannon fodder for our loaded led. Not only were they dropping off more standard infantry this time, they were dropping off some strikers sliding down the ropes of their choppers as well.

Fortunately for us, never have strikers running around when turrets are about. Even if they were quicker than a speeding bullet.

As the enemies landed their ground and the choppers flew off, I got on the turret to use it myself and defend our defenses. Best offense as best defense.

When lighting up the advancing infantry and strikers on the low ground with my turret, I could see sniper bullets flickering off the enemy like bottles on a counter. Kris's marksmanship no doubt. Reminded me of Rachel's marksmanship when we were partners three years back.

David defended the guns with his standard rifled. So did Cage on his end next to Kristine.

"How are the repairs coming?" David asked Flint.

"More time is needed," responded Flint.

For a rookie, I never took Flint as a repair specialist of any kind. Even Rachel had some electronic experience before him as the Mary Sue she was. Another recruit I underestimate since my last.

As I continue to chop down more infantry and strikers like onions on the turret, the enemy now had a pair of juggernaut units going. Just to fight fire with fire against my turret.

The juggernauts are little tougher to take out even with the fifty caliber bullets, but their armor isn't anything the turret can't be deflected from.

While handling the juggernauts, more choppers were on the way. This time, to make sure they drop off any more boogies, I simply shoot down the reinforcement from the choppers with the turret. By spraying the bullets onto the enemy birds and blowing them out of the sky. Spinning them out of control and into and exploding touchdown on the roof ground. Double XP for Corporal Foley.

 _"_ _Great shooting, Cayce,"_ said Kristine. _"You sure can handle a turret better than I can."_

"Repairs are complete," said Flint. "The guns may now be brought online."

"Good work, Flint," said David. "I'm on it."

With a simple turn and press down on the switch from David, the AA gun was back online.

 _"_ _Power restored. Circuit reset. Guns operational."_

 _"_ _David, AA guns are back online!"_ James said on com.

"Copy that," replied David. "Let's get these people out of here."

Suddenly, before we stepped away from the guns, the sounds of airstrikes could be heard from above. The sounds flaming stars descending from the clouds raining down towards us as we looked up. I smelled more danger close. And I think we knew what we were in for next.

Once the stars had plummeted onto the roof of the base, they manifested the same demonic figures we encountered in Portland three years before as well as Seattle just a week earlier. And they all came clamoring towards us as we engaged.

 _"_ _Incoming Fallen!"_ Cage shouted out loud.

"Damn it, Captain!" I yelled. "Now we've got Fallen dropping in uninvited!"

 _"_ _Can it, Corporal! Less talking, more firing!"_

Our weapons are free on the rampaging Fallen. I use the turret again to keep the pressure off us.

 _"_ _We need to get back inside and protect the civilians big time!"_ Kristine reminded us. _"This base is still at risk of losing the civvies and the control grid!"_

 _"_ _Cage to HQ, we got the guns back online, but Fallen have breached the base! I repeat, Fallen have breached the base! Moving back inside to get the civilians to safety and to protect the central defense grid! Over!"_

 _"_ _Negative, Captain. Fallen and ConDef have breached the Golden Gate defenses and have launched a full scale assault on the base. We have new orders from Admiral Penske to fall back and abort the mission to protect SF Spectre. But still get the senator and civilians back to the first fleet safely. Nothing else matters."_

 _"_ _If Penske says so, HQ. Cage out."_

"Let's face it, Clayton," said David. "The base is already lost as it is. HQ did warn us about the Fallen earlier."

 _"_ _Duly noted, David. Alright, Valor, kill every last one of these boogiemen and get your ass back indoors! Double time!"_

"Yes, sir!" I complied.

 **Note: Only one chapter left and it's back to the Lost Daughter! Shout-out goes to Stargazing Writer for just recently following my stories and enjoying the final chapter to Max's journey as I have! Your support makes me smile and laugh like I haven't done in years! I'm eternally grateful :)**

 **Until next time, stay tuned and golden!**


	21. Balancing the Universe

Chapter 21 Balancing the Universe

Alex

July 12th, 2017

9:12 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

Within matter of seconds after the ConDef soldier seized Max's hand, the room around us was now sparkling with purple stars swarming the two of us like fire crackers. Ricocheting against the walls and crumbing the floor into a narrow pit below our feet. All caused by the Power Shard Max held in her hand as it was grasped by Alkaline's gun for hire.

While things ran amok by the touch of a hand, the goon who touched the shard in Max's hand himself was being consumed by it's power and turning into a crisp made of purple light until he exploded into purple dust. Max released her from the soldier's grip before his body was disintegrated by the shard's power.

Now I know why the shard is truly called the Power Shard. And how it cleanses all life in the universe.

Before Alkaline could reach the shard for himself, the floor was deteriorating below his footing and raced for the other side before his ground could collapse completely. When it did completely collapse, he hopped over the chasm as high and as far as he could to latch his fingers onto the edge of crumbling pit below and climbed over it using his arms and legs.

As the purple sparks from the Eternity Shard Max held faded, Alkaline still had us to deal with seeing we were still standing on the other side. He ordered his men's weapons free on his against Joanna's orders.

"Shoot them!" He hollered.

The two of us his behind some pillars that had collapsed in the death trap as Alkaline's lieutenant trooper sprayed his bullets on us. Soon, more soldiers surrounded the gap in the room creating the pit to outnumber us and give us more heat to cool down. Allowing Alkaline and his right-hand man to make they're escape as the other baddies kept on the pressure.

I attempt to help Max find away out of the death trap and see opening where we can run to. I don't hesitate to risk the opportunity.

"This way!" I shout to Max. "C'mon!"

To get to the opening, we had to jump across a chasm. Max was a pretty decent jumper from what I've seen her do. And so was I.

I make it across the chasm but unfortunately for Max, when she reaches the other end holding onto the edge with her hands, the stone cracks and breaks off. Causing her to fall down a lower ground and land onto a lower platform.

Now Max had to jump and climb onto the pillars holding the remaining high ground to reach back up here while I covered her.

"Get out of there!" I shouted. "I'll cover you!"

"On it!" Max shouted back.

The Power Shard was still in her hands when she fell. Or rather in her pocket lucky for her. She jumped over to the pillar and started climbing while I gave her cover fire with a pistol I took from the soldier who exploded into dust.

Climbing up the pillars was not going to be as easy as climbing jungle gyms in a playground. Debris from the ceiling was now collapsing on the pillar she climbed on. Causing the pillar to crack and tumble like timber.

"Oh shit!" Max reacted.

"Max?!" I called to her. Keeping the fire on.

"I'm okay! Ah, I gotta get off this thing! Now's my chance!"

Max was able to climb up the pillar to the top and jump onto another tumbling pillar to climb and shimmy on. Then she made it to the top of the second pillar and jumped back to the high ground. I really couldn't hold off the squad of ConDef single-handed. Max needed to get up here and help quick.

"I could use your help, Max!" I shouted to her.

Max leaped off the top of the descending pillar and landed herself onto a soldier I was shooting. Hitting him in the face with her bare fist and knocking him to the floor. She took the soldiers pistol for her defense against the remainder of Alkaline's forces.

Before Max could take care of another soldier, I rushed in and knocked the soldier out with the grip of my gun.

"You like that?!" I taunted. "And stay down! Shit!"

More soldier reinforced themselves down in front of the hole Alkaline had blow to get in the crumbling room and fired up their rifles on us. We took cover and returned fire with our pistols against men with rifles.

Lucky for us, debris was still collapsing and collided in front of the hole. Crushing the terrorist men into pancakes and sparing us the ammo from our guns.

"Whoa!" I reacted.

"Sucks for you!" Max muttered to the crushed soldiers.

To bad it also sucks that our only way out was crushed as well.

"Ah, hell," I said. "What's the plan?"

"I'm working on it," said Max.

Then I saw a beam of would sticking out between a hole in the ceiling over some debris that had fallen in front of us. We could use that beam to swing across.

More debris was still falling. We had to make this fast.

"Up there!" I pointed out to the beam. "C'mon, you ready?! We gotta go up to get out!"

"Here we go," said Max.

As much as Max didn't like swinging on ropes as much, she was the first to do so anyways. When she swung toward the fallen pillar that would take us through the whole in the ceiling, I went after her and climbed up the broken support beam with her.

The beam we climbed on broke apart a little before we reached the top but the cracking piece tilted against the edge of the hole for us to climb up over easier.

After both us vaulted over the edge, we shot more bad guys in self-defense with our guns as they shot back at us. Covering and firing in the same routine as if it were a shoot-em-up game.

Don't know about how Max felt about getting into firefights like this, but I knew the Blackwell shooting and the battle of Portland was enough experience for her to pull through this. According to the stories she told me on that bench back at the gallery.

The last soldier we had to take care of was one that seized Max by the torso and strangled her by the neck.

I aimed my gun for the guy's face to shoot past Max without blowing her head away but before I got trigger happy, Max hit the man in the waist with her elbow to release herself from her opponent's grasp and headbutted him to KO his ass to the cavy ground. Last round goes to Maximus.

"I'm impressed, little cousin!" I complimented. "Final score goes to the amazing Spider-Max!"

"Yeah," said Max. "We kicked it, punched it, and set it on fire. Thanks to the glamorous and cunning Rachel Amber's training, I eat lighting and crack thunder."

I laughed at her Rocky reference.

We ran across the tunnels through the cave to fight off more ConDef. Eventually, we were coming close to outside the cave when we saw some openings through more infrastructure. Snowy grounds from outside.

When shooting past more soldiers, Dad could hear the commotion from his plane. Must be close enough to hear the gunshots on the mountain.

 _"_ _God dammit, Max,"_ said Dad. _"I can hear the fireworks from here. What the fuck's going on?"_

Long story," replied Max. "Short version is to get us the fuck out of here!"

 _"_ _Yeah, I figured. Hold tight! Be there as soon as I can!"_

"You still got that Power Shard with you?" I asked Max.

"You know it," she said.

* * *

Cayce

July 12th, 2017

1:22 PM

Marin Headland, California

SF Spectre

As soon as we ran back inside to the control center after fighting back the Fallen outside, the first thing we did was come to James and Rose for a sitrep.

People in the room appeared to be acting more urgently than before. Must be aware of the whole Fallen situation that's befallen this base. At least now we got the guns back up and running to shoot the Fallen as well as some ConDef out of the sky.

We see the Ambers at the front of the room. Overlooking the airstrikes from the sky manifesting the Fallen for their descent. David told James about the guns being ready to take defense.

"Okay, the guns are already picking ConDef birds and Fallen strikes out of the sky," said David. "Where are we at?"

"On track," replied James. "The first bird is already loaded with everyone under sixteen."

"Commander, when should we leave?" Rose asked. "What's our best chance for survival?"

"James, what do you think? Are we ready?"

"Almost. We could go now, but there's no do-overs here."

"Agreed. We get one shot."

"And we don't want to leave anything behind that could strengthen Alkaline's cause."

"Or Ares's," I said.

James turned to his wife for reassurance, but there wasn't any time for it. A decision had to be made now when to leave.

"Your call," said James. Turning his head back to David.

"We go now," said David.

"You can begin the evacuation from the command terminal," said Rose.

"Got it."

David walked to the command terminal and activated the evacuation order. Opening the bulkhead doors to let the first chopper out of the base's hanger.

 _"_ _Evacuation is go. Evacuation is go. Stand by for chopper launch."_

The hangar doors had opened and the first chopper was now taking flight and prepped for take-off. But before the evac chopper could exit through, it was going to need protection from the guns.

"Have the guns punch a hole in the perimeter," said David. "Then launch chopper one."

The guns were reactivated and shot down the enemy birds invading the airspace. Then the first shuttle was away and up in the air as we watched it go from the windows.

 _"_ _Chopper one is away."_

The crowd in the room applauded and chanted at our first successful evac. But we still had a ton more civilians to get off this base away from the siege.

Everyone crowded towards David for their next orders.

"Alright, listen up!" He shouted. Gathering everyone's attention. "Everyone here head to the hangar bay and-"

A tremor was felt in the room that almost shook us off our feet. One caused by a Fallen airstrike. ConDef and the Fallen were close breaching the inner base.

"An unknown projectile took out one of our guns!" A technician at the control shouted. "It looks like-"

Suddenly, a window crashed. Letting a Fallen minion inside and screaming like animal. Causing people near the window to evasively jump out of the way and panic.

People were now running out of the room as Fallen came charging in. The five were gonna have to defend everyone but it would difficult with the crowd in our line of fire.

Not to mention the Ambers were still in the room. And James still could only walk with his crutch. Nevertheless, David ordered him and Rose to get everyone out so we would protect them from the reanimated figures.

"Get those people out of here!" David ordered.

"Everyone, clear the room!" Cage hollered. "Get to the hangar bay now!"

As the people in the control room hurriedly ran out in a panic and Rose urgently help her husband out, we lit up our guns on the attacking Fallen and shot them away without harming the innocents.

When the room was clear of Fallen, our troubles were just beginning.

 _"_ _Hangar bay doors have been breached. Attention. Hangar bay doors have been breached."_

 _"_ _David!"_ James called on com. _"Choppers are loaded! We need you at the landing area to make sure they get away! We'll meet you down there!"_

"Understood, James," copied David. "We're coming to you quick! Find Lieutenant Major Heard! She'll help out!"

"We gotta get the fuck out of here, Captain," I said to Cage. "Like David said, the base is lost as it is now that Fallen have joined the party. We can't afford to lose the civilians either."

"Agreed," said Cage. "We have our orders from Penske and that's our top priority. So let's do our thing and get everyone out as expected. Double time it!"

* * *

Max

July 12th, 2017

9:19 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

When coming out of the cave and back into the cold outdoors, were to face another obstacle course of bullets. Only this time, bullets coming out of a fifty-caliber weapon that would chew up a Rhino's face off.

Someone was mounted on a machine gun turret ready to go full auto on our asses.

"Ah, fuck! Alex, watch the turret!" I warned.

Alex and I race for cover before the bullets cut us down. The last thing I enjoy about firefights are trigger happy gunners with the power of fifty caliber.

"Gotta take that thing out!" Alex hollered.

Come on, Max. You're the one with the superpower. Not Alex. You must think of something.

Then I come up with the idea of my time shield I could use to protect us from the enemy fire. And then maybe find a way to maneuver around the turret and take the gunner out.

I step out of cover and project my time shield in front of me. Then I think quickly to act my next and form my time shield into a blast. Pushing the gunner off the turret and slamming his body against the wall that takes him out.

Alex was free to step out of cover and advance forward with me with the gunner away from the picture. There were still more ConDef death squads running at us up front. Luckily, I was now free to control the turret for myself and flush them out.

I got on the turret and gave Alex some fire support.

"My turn now!" I gloated.

I lit up the gun and mowed through every last bastard of the front in my sights as if it were a shooter video game.

The last time I remember using a turret was when I raced across a road down to Rachel's safe lodge back in Oregon. Remember how these kinds of guns packed a ton of punch. More than they ever did in the movies. Must've felt good for Arnold in Terminator 2.

Our perimeter was cleansed of the Continuum Defense Front thank to my fifty Cal of fury. I got off the turret and followed Alex down the snowy path to Bryan's plane.

"Was it like this for you during that shooting at Blackwell and in Portland?!" Alex asked.

"No," I lied. "Well, kind of. Yeah, yes. Yes, definitely."

"Let's keep running. Don't stop!"

* * *

David

July 12th, 2017

1:29 PM

Marin Headland, California

SF Spectre

The hangar bay was a massacre. Fallen had already breached inside through the ventilation systems and rampaging like a stampede of zombies in a horror film.

Chrysalis soldiers unloaded every last bullet they had in the monster mash to protect the clamoring civilians screaming and running for their lives to their evac chopper. Fighting the Fallen was so much worse than fighting Taliban in Afghan, Neo-Chrysalis in Portland, and now ConDef in this war I've signed up for.

I could see soldiers and civvies getting eaten alive by Fallen like animals catching their prey. Soldiers getting pinned to the ground by the demons and locals crying for help seeing family members or friends getting slaughter by the demons as well.

As Flint had said earlier, this was no fantasy story. This was a war. In the real world where fairy tales come to life.

I was more worried about Victoria and her friends. People from Blackwell knew since my first day as a security cop to lose them in this slaughterhouse. Or worse, losing James and Rose in this just to ruin Rachel's world.

They once had to deal with the loss of Rachel themselves before anyone found out she was alive. As commander of Valor Team, I won't let their daughter share the same pain of loss and put their deaths on my conscience.

We did eventually spot Heard and the other half of team defending Victoria's group and escorting them safely to an evac chopper, but we couldn't reach them. Knowing a couple of Fallen wouldn't drop Mizz Heard to her knees, she was a skilled protector for the Berkeley students.

The five of us needed to Look for Heard and the rest of the team. It was hard to find anyone in the panicking crowd and clamoring troop shooting in every direction where the Fallen followed. Let alone actually shoot any Fallen past the civilians. Luckily, the unarmed innocents got behind the soldiers to be defended as they all ran to safety.

I shot a couple of Fallen myself just like the rest of the team and every other soldier before me. Fighting like hell in this hell.

"Mayday! Mayday!" Cage hollered over the com. "This is Captain Cage to HQ! We are under heavy resilience from Fallen forces! I say again! SF Spectre is under attack and requires immediate assistance to support our evac!"

But there was nothing but static to be heard on coms. Just when we unjammed communications with the sat antenna up on the roof. Must be the Fallen's doing this time.

"Fuck! Coms are down again!" Cage snapped. "Everyone, keep those alien demons away from the civvies and Senator Amber! And someone get those doors open now!"

"We need to clear the hangar bay first so we can bring the doors up!" I shouted to my captain. "Then get out to the landing pad to make a last resort!"

"What are ya looking at me for, Commander?! The four of you, do your job!"

"Yes, sir!" Kristine prevailed.

All of us used every last round and bullet on every last Fallen aimed at the aim and sights of our guns. Meanwhile, civilians were all being rounded up in the choppers in time before anyone else could get caught in the bloodbath. Even we did just take a few civilian casualties before everyone could make it.

Once all the civilians were safely on board their chopper and the horde of Fallen was clear, it was time for the bulkhead hanger bay door to open. Every evac chopper turned their engines and propellers on to initiate the evacuation and take flight to the Oregon.

"James, bring up the main door!" I ordered.

 _"_ _Got it, David,"_ responded James. _"Will do."_

"Okay, let's get these people out of here."

James had taken the controls of the doors someplace in the hanger. Assuming Rose had to help him get their quicker since he could only get there with his crutch.

The hangar bay doors were now opening and the five of us ran outside with other assault troops to defend the base from outside and form a perimeter at the supply depot up front. More Fallen forces were bucketing down from the sky in fireballs and we freed our weapons on them.

Heard and the other half of Valor were still inside boarding civvies. Probably still helping Victoria's gang on board a chopper. I know Newblood has family in her group who's become her love interest. Wouldn't be surprising if they still were doing their duty.

Oddly enough, there didn't appear to be anymore ConDef forces being haloed in. Only Fallen. I still didn't get why and how they were manifesting themselves just now? Was this Ares's doing? Are him and the Fallen working with Alkaline and ConDef?

The first few evac choppers were now taking off and flying past us. Avoiding any contact with Fallen airstrikes since we still had one other AA gun still online. The guns' accuracy wasn't the finest, but enough to live up to their task.

"More Fallen airstrikes inbound!" Cayce warned.

"I have visual!" Kristine shouted.

As our squadron was culling down more of the Fallen threat, at least four choppers were away. Successfully evacuating four dozen of the civvies or more. All that were left to evacuate was Victoria's group and James's political party we rescued back at City Hall.

"James, come in," I said on my com. "What's your status?"

 _"_ _David, the base is overrun!"_ James shouted on com. _"We got those…things all over the place! Every that got slaughtered by them are turning into those monsters!"_

"Two more choppers of refugees to go, right?"

 _"_ _Affirmative. Me, my wife, my campaign group, and those Berkeley students who I think I recognize from Blackwell."_

"We got this! Just need to hold them a little longer!"

"Assuming we can hold them a little longer!" Flint shouted.

 _"_ _Madsen…this… - Lynch! We – round the base – support! We're…"_

"Lynch, is that you?" I asked on com. "Come in!"

The signal was weak. I knew the voice on com infected with static belonged to Lynch and must be open to more air support. To bad coms were still being jammed from the Fallen activity. They likely knocked down out com dish at the base too.

"We're…coming – to…"

"Dammit, if that's Lynch open to more fire support with her squad, guess we'll have to be the support for now."

At least shot distant communications weren't as weak as long distance like contacting HQ or Scar Squad. Otherwise, this evac wouldn't be as successful as it's been so far and James wouldn't be able to walk us through.

The second to last chopper now flew above us. Had to be the one carry Victoria's group and the second half of Valor. And it was.

 _"_ _Cage, Madsen, it's Heard. We've just boarded our Seahawk and on our way to Oregon. We'll take care of the kids inside."_

"Happy Trails, Lieutenant Major," copied Cage. "We'll get on our bird and be joining you shortly."

"By the way, Major," I said. "Tell Victoria and her friend their former security chief saved their lives today. Victoria will be the one in the beach tank-top and short blonde hair."

 _"_ _Understood. Commander Madsen sends his regards."_

 _"_ _David, heads up!"_ James warned. _"This place is overrun! We gotta go! Headed to you with the chopper right now!"_

"Understood," I replied. "Just hang tight! We'll clear you an LZ!"

When clearing a landing zone for James, we heard a screeching roar from a distance. It was heard from above us and the strange creature noises we close to the base.

It was the sound of an animal no one sees every day. An animal that could've been the possible unidentified flying object HQ spoke about. And it was coming for us.

We could see the flying creature from at least thirty feet away. It had wings bigger than the size of AC-130 gunship wings. A head with horns sharper than Satan's. And a mouth opening wider and roaring louder than a T-Rex.

I could only believe this creature when I saw it. And as much as I wanted to believe I've gone coo-coo, this creature was dragon. Which was now charging down at us like an eagle.

"Incoming!" I hollered.

All of us took evasive action as the dragon opened its ferocious mouth and shot a blue flame out of it's throat.

Although the five of us in Valor Team ran for cover successfully, the other pair of Chrysalis riflemen were scorched alive in the breath of fire. If a Dungeons and Dragons game or Lord of the Rings novel has taught me anything, this vile beast wasn't your children's Puff the Magic Dragon fantasy. It was a flying killing machine that can burn hundreds in one exhale of flame.

I witness the soldiers before me burn into crispy skeletons like charcoal in a grill. Another horror of this war I just had to bear witness to.

We see the dragon flying back up. Willing to take another strike at the base.

"What the fuck was that?!" Cage yelled.

"It was...it was…a dragon, Captain," whaled Flint. "This must be a fantasy story after all!"

"There goes our UFO HQ talked about!" Cayce snapped.

"And there goes our men that just got burned alive into charred carcasses!" I snapped. "Where the fuck did this thing come from?!"

Kristine scoped the dragon in the air with her sniper crosshairs. Observing the creature and taking a glimpse of someone mounted on the flying beast itself.

"Commander, there someone riding on that thing!" Kris warned. "I think it's him! I think it's-"

Before Kris could finish her thought, another roar was heard from the dragon. And this time it was coming for a landing on the helipad in front of the depot.

The dragon landed his ginormous feet to the ground as it was dropping of it's rider. Who had been the demented figure we had seen earlier on the com monitor. The one jammed Penske's and Alkaline's broadcast for his own.

Ares the god of war. As he called himself on screen. The one referred to us as vermin.

The godly figure leaped off his mount from the dragon and walked forward to us gradually.

I tried shooting at Ares himself, but bullets only deflected from him like titanium. My clip ran out and I fire my grenade launcher attachment on him instead. Only for him to catch the grenade with his bare hand and crush it like a breakable vase. It was no use engaging him with a standard weapon.

Then a telepathic force pulls me out of cover and directly in front of the eyes and path of Ares. I fumble to the floor and steadily lift myself up to my feet.

And there I was. Face to face with the so-called god of war himself.

"Human," said Ares in a devilish voice. "Mortal. Male. You mortal invertebrates run a fool's errand to persist in a war you cannot win. And yet you keep fighting. To be perished towards an unavoidable fate grimmer than death. Continued by many. Thwarted by less."

As the war god himself monologued, my team hid behind cover silently. Wanting to intervene, but not recklessly.

Ares appeared to wear a strange golden glove in his hand. One lit with a yellow light on his one knuckle and an orange light on his rear palm. As well as a sword sheeted behind his back.

Of course, there the helmet and armor he was wearing from when we last saw him on screen. Looks to be any god of war I've ever seen.

"You primitives must know where it is," continued Ares. "I know you have it. Tell me. Where is the Space Shard?"

"I don't know who you are or what you are or where you came from," I begin. "But I've never heard of whatever your looking for."

"The Space Shard. The shard your adversaries once used to unleash Elysium cycles ago. Until it was foiled by your traveler! Tell me where it is or you will burn like your allies!"

A telepathic force raised me off my feet again and now I was suffocating by Ares's power. Raising his hand to use it like Darth Vader.

I held my throat as I was being choked to death. Cayce tried to intervene, but Kristine halted him.

"Don't!" She warned. Holding his shoulder.

As I was being interrogated and asphyxiated to death, Ares telepathically reeled me in closer. Demanding an answer for my life.

Shard used to unleash Elysium? Foiled by our traveler? Whatever this hellish being talked of, he was asking the wrong man with that knowledge.

All knew about Elysium was the special project Chrysalis conducted years back in Portland under that name. Shown at an expo I went to with Joyce, Chloe, and Max. Could this shard be linked to that? To what I never knew about Chrysalis.

"The answer hangs at the tip of your last breath, primitive!" Ares snarled. "Tell me where my shard is or else!"

"Your asking the wrong guy in Chrysalis!" I answered. Struggling for my breath. "All I know about Elysium is the special project under that title. Nothing more. No knowledge of a shard."

Ares reach for the grip of his sword and pulled it out of his sheath. Reeling me in closer and holding the tip of the sword to my neck.

"Why are you doing this?" I said. Still being choked the life out of me. "You think this is fun?!"

"Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the universe," replied Ares. "But this…does put a smile on my face."

I heard the noise of harriers flying in. Once again, the Calvary has arrived in the nick of time.

Lynch just so happened to fly in with her squad to target the dragon overlooking Ares threatening my life for answers to fire a missile towards it and piss it off.

Her fighter launched its missiles and hits their target. The dragon took a beating with the missiles and reacted with a loud shriek. Using it's wing to dust off the smoke from the missiles. But not a scratch made from the strike.

 _"_ _Take that you Dracarys son of a bitch!"_ Lynch muttered.

The dragon roars at the squad of fighters that whooshed by. When Ares reacted to the missile strikes and harrier reinforcements, he threw me to the side as I fell on my hip again.

Cayce and the others ran to help me up. Given the appropriate opportunity to assist their commander.

Ares glanced over at Lynch's squadron flying by like a heard of falcons. Then something else caught his attention. Or rather his mind.

His mind was telling him what he needed, where it was, and who had it. It was not the Space Shard. But rather a different shard far from where Ares had searched.

"The Power Shard," thought Ares. "The traveler has it."

Ares leaped back onto his pet dragon and started taking flight with it again. The dragon raised itself off the helipad it landed on to take Ares to wherever this traveler had and where he or she was.

As the Dragon flew higher back into the air, it and Ares formed an object in the sky they flew right through like a magic hole. A portal perhaps?

When the portal was gone and Ares and the dragon was out of sight, Lynch and her squad made their last run around the base before they departed.

 _"_ _Your all clear, Valor,"_ said Lynch. _"Now bring the senator home so we could all go home!"_

"Thanks again, Lynch," I said. "Now fall back to the Oregon with your squad. You know the orders from Penske and I'm sure you've heard them."

 _"_ _Acknowledged, Madsen. Scar Squad, on me!"_

As Scar Squad switched their course back to the Oregon, it was time to notify James of his cleared way.

"James, landing area is cleared!" I said.

 _"_ _This place is crawling!"_ James cried. _"Bringing the Seahawk to you!"_

"Roger that!"

James's Seahawk flew straight out of the hangar behind us. Past the fire that burned down the rest of the soldiers. The took to landing on the helipad Ares's dragon had landed on.

The five of us race for the chopper. The hatch behind the bird opened. Revealing James and Rose inside as the two of them called for us to get in.

Meanwhile, the horde of Fallen was still rising. Reanimated soldiers and some refugees turned Fallen running out of the hanger bay like a zombie movie.

To add more pressure to the injury, a brutish creature came charger through the horde. Plowing through the herd of Fallen like an angry gorilla and roaring and drumming its tits down with it's fist like one too.

I may have seen one pin down Max back during the battle of Portland before, but I knew the familiarity of it when I saw it. It was a brute Fallen in the flesh.

I reloaded another mag into my rifle and fired a few rounds at some of the regular Fallen in the pack. And before my feet could touch the chopper, the brute fired a burning projectile out of it's mouth towards me as it hit ground.

When the projectile nearly hit me on impact, I fumble off my feet again. Not knowing these brutes could shoot fire balls too. But well knowing that one of these days I was going to get my legs blown off by karma. Crippling me in the line of duty.

Cayce and Kristine ran back to get me and help me up. Cage cover me to shoot some incoming Fallen nearing the chopper. Even firing a bullet into a flammable canister to stun the brute from standing next to it and get its face on fire with gasoline.

At last, we were all on the chopper and prepared for take-off.

And finally, as the Seahawk's hatch closed behind us, we were now all airborne with the senator and wife. Setting course for the Oregon away from the fallen SF Spectre. Leaving the Fallen horde in dust.

* * *

Max

July 12th, 2017

9:26 AM

Olympus Range, Greece

Mount Olympus

The two of us kept pushing forward across the infrastructure up on the mountain. Fighting more ConDef assault troopers in our path.

We had seen Bryan's plane fly past us. Flying over to the closest pickup zone he could find for us as he watched us fend off Alkaline's men.

Snow was beginning to poor down on us a bit more rapidly. Making it harder to shoot our targets from cover to cover. And Uncle Bryan said there wouldn't be so bad of whether this time of year in Greece.

"God, didn't Dad say the weather is lovely this time of year?!" Alex muttered. "I can't see shit!"

"Just keep heading down until we hit the water!" I told my cousin.

Once we reached the end of the infrastructure, there was two paths we could take. The lower platform or the high bridge to get to Bryan's plane that would parked in the water.

 **X/SQUARE/LM – LOWER PLATFORM**

 **B/CIRCLE/RM – HIGH BRIDGE**

"Alex, take the lower platform!" I told her. "I got the high bridge!"

"I hope I got the right path here!" Alex said.

"Hey, I hope we both do!"

Alex walked down the steps to the lower platform as I ran across the high bridge. Just to confront more ConDef in front of me. Luckily, I didn't have to face them alone.

Bryan's had flown in and little did I know the plane was armed with hidden guns that was now equipped and ready. The mini guns on the plane lit up and fired its bullets at the soldiers on the bridge like a World War I fighter.

The bridge was all clear and I was free to run across without any shooting to do of my own. As Bryan's plane flew away and resumed course to our LZ.

"Wowser, Bryan!" I exclaimed. "You didn't tell you had guns on the plane!"

 _"_ _Well I do now, Max,"_ said Bryan. _"Made some modifications myself. Now you get your ass to water I'll pick you up! Your almost there!"_

"Will do!"

 _"_ _Max, there's a rockslide to where I'm standing,"_ said Alex on her radio. _"That may be our only way do to Dad's plane."_

"Very well, Alex," I said. "I love sliding down rockslides."

Before I could run any further, the end of the bridge was collapsing. Crumbling apart and tumbling down to Alex's ground. Form gap in the bridge and no way across.

The bridge broke up at least ten feet apart into the gap I made. No one in the right mind including me would jump across that far.

 _"_ _Max, what happened?"_ Alex asked. _"The bridge just fell apart. How did that happen?!"_

"I don't know!" I snapped. "How do I get out of this?!"

"You don't," said a loud voice behind me.

I turn around to see my nightmare come true.

There he stood. In front of a dragon. I kid you not. A fucking dragon in my face! It sure as hell wasn't Drogon from Game of Thrones. Nor was it the Smaug from The Hobbit. It was real time fucking dragon behind the figure I had seen in the nightmare I had on the flight to Vancouver.

It was him. I knew those bedeviling features. The helmet, the armor, and now a strange glove-like accessory with glowing orange and yellow lights on the rear palm and knuckle along with a sword sheathed behind his back.

I knew who he was. And I knew who he was the god of. And I knew who he wanted. And my jaw is dropped with no words to speak about it.

"Ha. So…a girl?" Ares thought. "Eons of hunting down the next traveler. And they chose a girl to challenge me?"

"You," I said.

The god of war himself takes a few steps forward to me as my jaw drop lower and lower the closer he gets. Ares himself was wearing some strange golden glove in his hand. One glowing with yellow and orange lights.

The Mind and Soul shards! He was wearing the Eternity Gauntlet in his hands. And now he's come for the Power Shard in my hands.

The war god continues his approach on me as his dragon overlooks the immortal speaking to the mortal. My heart is racing and my bottom is stinging.

"Do not look at me, traveler!" Ares snarls.

I pushed back with a telepathic force from Ares and my body fumbles like a rug on the floor. Ares advances his feet again to where I lay.

For all I knew, Ares was the one who put the bridge out telepathically.

"So…you're the one they call Maxine," said Ares. "Or is it Max as you prefer? The spirits were foolish to chose you. You are weak! Undisciplined! Cowering behind barriers! Using your powers to erase the turmoil around you. You're not brave. You've merely forgotten the fear of failure. The fear of death. Allow me to reacquaint you."

Ares swings his brutish fist and strikes me into an uppercut as I had begun to pick myself up. Flying across the bridge and sliding down near the edge. Nearly falling off the chasm that had broken apart.

I stare down at the chasm. Spotting the rockslide Alex mentioned. Then I see Alex herself by the rockslide getting ready to slide down herself.

I also spot Bryan's plane already parked in the cold water next to the bottom the slide. Alex looks up to see me at the edge of the chasm as I looked down back at her. With Ares closing in to make his final blow. And his dragon creeping down on the bridge behind him.

Then suddenly, Ares used his telepathic power to pull the Power Shard out of my pocket. It flew right out of my pocket as I raised my hand back for it in shock.

"No!" I cried.

The shard hooked onto Ares's grasp and placed the purple jewel into an empty knuckle. Assembling it next to the Mind Shard. Now acquiring three Eternity Shards on his gauntlet. With no way to bring it back to me.

"You've never earned the power you were given," said Ares. "I am Ares. And the Power Shard…is mine."

Ares touched his boot against me and pushed me over the edge like rubble. I now fall through the chasm and towards Alex's ground.

"Max!" Alex cried out.

Before I hit the ground to fatal fall, Alex breaks my fall preventing my plummeting death as I collided onto her. Causing each other to down one another.

 _"_ _Girls, they're shooting up my plane!"_ Bryan called out. _"Hurry the fuck up or your ride's gonna sink!"_

The two of us quickly up ourselves and get ready to slide down the rockslide in front of us.

"Okay, here we go," I said nervously. "Get ready!"

"Ah, this is gonna suck!" Alex whined.

We make a jump onto the rockslide as we slide across the rough surface and through the snowy winds. I can feel my pants scrapping through the rocky slide on my own ass.

We saw soldier between the slide standing ground on the cliffs taking aim at the plane and now taking aim at us once they spotted us.

Avoiding the bullets across the slide, we reach to the bottom and jump into the ice, cold sea water. Taking a dive into it and holding my breath into the salty liquid.

I swim my head back to the surface for air and gasp for it. Feeling the chills of the low temperature water below my life expectancy. The longer Alex and I swam in this water, the more hypothermic we were going to get.

The two of us hurriedly swim back to the plane as I dipped my arms back and forth like they taught me in my swimming classes. Holler over to Bryan as I do.

"Ah! Bryan, get her going!" I cried.

The plane was still being rattled with bullet, but the of us make it to the plane anyhow. I step inside through the hatch and take Alex hand to pull her out of the hypothermia happy water.

"Go! Go!" I yell to my uncle in the cockpit.

Bryan get the engines and propellers running to take the plane out of the water as close down the hatch to conceal ourselves to safety. Flying away from the bullet and off the sea.

With the three of us now airborne, our plane flew above the ocean like a seagull. Considering ourselves a mission completion. Except it wasn't so much a completion without the Power Shard with us.

That which is now with Ares.

* * *

David

July 12th, 2017

1:42 PM

Californian Airspace

Gulf of the Farallones

"Out by the skin of our teeth again," said James. "Hey, David?"

We were now on board the Seahawk with the Ambers and their political party we rescued from City Hall. Making ourselves comfortable while setting course back to the first fleet across the Gulf of the Farallones.

"Nice to see you making it in one piece," I said. "Even with a piece or two missing from your injuries."

"Yeah, feels good," said James.

"I was afraid we wouldn't get anyone out alive," said Rose. "But because of you, we got almost everyone. Thank you."

"Rose, I have request," I said. "One you can't afford to turn down. Admiral Penske request any in all intel on ConDef you or James might have that could deal a great advantage against them."

"Without a doubt. I'm at your service. And I'm sure you can count on my husband as well."

"You too, James. I need you."

"Of course," replied James. "The only reason you've come after us to start with. I'm still worried about, Rachel. I've lost my daughter once, I won't lose her again in this war."

"I heard about her show in Vancouver. I don't believe ConDef will be hitting there."

"If they do, I just hope her and Frank can find a refuge. Looking for the families of San Fran and my own is important to me. It's where I'm at right now. I hope you can see that."

"Keep them safe then. Chrysalis will give them all the help they can offer at the sanctuary on the Oregon."

"You got it."

"Alrighty then," said Cage. "Time to report to HQ and inform Admiral Penske of our success."

"You know, David," said Rose. "I never thought you'd be joining the corps. Just feel better knowing you're on our side."

"Thanks," I said.

"David, when this mess is over," said James. "Drinks are on me. Be safe out there."

"HQ, this is Captain Cage reporting in. Do you read us now?"

 _"_ _Loud and clear, Captain. Your signal's unjammed and coms are returning to norm."_

"We've got Senator Amber and his report group on board safely. Setting course back to the first fleet."

 _"_ _Good work, Valor. Refugee choppers and Scar Squadron are on route back to the fleet. We'll be lending those civilians sanctuary on the Oregon as we speak. HQ out."_

I look down on myself thinking about what I had just witness down there back at the base. Let alone the secrets I heard from Ares. I knew I couldn't just let them out of my mind.

"Something on your mind, David?" Kristine asked. "You look troubled."

"What the fuck did we just see down there?" I thought.

"Yeah, my sentiments precisely," said Cayce. "Ares? A fucking dragon? Was any of that real?! Does that explain why we had seen Fallen?"

"We should be asking, what's this Space Shard he spoke of down there?" I asked them. "And what does it got to do with Project Elysium? We're missing something here we don't know about. Something Chrysalis may have kept from us that Ares threatened to interrogate me about!"

"I guess we'll have to ask Penske to find out," said Cayce.

"My family and I were caught in the Portland incident," said Flint. "I used to have nightmares about those Fallen things after Triple 4."

"Shit, I still do," admitted Cayce.

* * *

Max

July 12th, 2017

9:45 AM

Greek Airspace

Aegean Sea

My cousin and I remove our wet and cold winter jackets of us to dry ourselves off on Bryan's plane. The two of us take some towels on board to dry our shirts and pants and warm ourselves up form swimming in the cold sea water.

The three of us on the plane were flying thirty thousand feet above sea level over the clouds and above the Aegean Sea. I wrapped my towel around my shoulders, handed over Alex her towel, and sat in the co-pilot's seat in the cockpit next to Bryan who flying the plane with the throttle in his hands. Still wearing his brown fur jacket for warm clothing.

After learning a conspicuous revelation about my family bloodline's relationship with the Herd of Whales and now just confronting Ares and his pet dragon, I stared at my uncle wanting answers from him. Instead, I played it casually for the moment being.

"Well that was a close one, huh?" I asked my uncle.

Bryan shook his head.

"They shot up my goddamn plane, Max!" He scolded.

"We're fine, thanks," said Alex.

"How soon can you get us to Rome?" I asked Bryan.

"No shard then," said Bryan.

"Oh, there was a shard. Except that Alkaline ambushed us at the site where it was and now Ares has it."

Bryan scratched his head. Learning about our failure from me.

"Well have only three Eternity Shards is better than having six," said Alex.

"I hate to put you two down," said Bryan. "But if you let Ares get his fingers on the Power Shard, we're really not off to a good start. And you think the one of the other shards is in Rome?"

"There was chamber back there where the Power Shard was with a giant map of Italy on the floor," I said. "Pinpointing to Rome. So yeah. It's probably there. Correct me if I'm wrong, but according the cartographer, it has to be where the Reality Shard is."

"This is beginning to smell a whole lot like wild goose, Max," said Bryan.

"Look, the Power Shard wasn't the only thing we found in Greece, okay?"

"Then what was the point of all that, huh?" Alex asked. "Of the Power Shard?"

"Look, it's like I said. It's like Lahkesis said. Ezra was recruiting people. Arthur was recruiting people. The shard was an invitation. The caves were just some sort of...initiation."

"Oh, so we passed, huh?" Alex thought. "Congrats, Dad. We get swords and knight armor now."

"I don't get it," said Bryan. "Why the hell would they go to all that bother just to weed people out?"

"To protect themselves. Look, Ezra was the most wanted man by the Germans in the war at that time. He had to enlist people that he could trust in order to keep their journey to the ark secret. Same was applied to Arthur's journey also. The great journey as they called it."

"What do you mean 'their' journey?" Alex questioned.

"Just – think about this. Jeremiah Blackwell was a successful founding father in his own right. What would he possibly stand to gain from joining Ezra? What would Merlin gain from joining Arthur? I think Arthur and Ezra sent out shards only to the other wealthy knights and adventurers like themselves. Hence the Saint Loomis order and the Herd of Whales. What if they pooled and hid all the shards together?"

"And what about this Mantle of Possibility you and Lahkesis brought up earlier?" Alex asked. "You said in that chamber that it was it. How was that it?"

"Well the mantle wasn't just a prophesy told by the gods, Alex. It was a testament written by the followers of Saint Loomis. One that the Knights of Loomis sore to prolong. And one that only a traveler can wield if a traveler were to bring balance to continuum with the Ark of Genesis. Which would be me. The only leaving and breathing human being worthy of the Mantle of Possibility alone."

"Ho, ho, holy shit," said Bryan. "Okay, so where exactly in Italy are we going again?"

"Rome," said Alex. "It was an old knight haven back in Arthur's time."

"I know it well. It's a big place. Anything more specific?"

"Well, that map chamber completely caved in. So, you know…"

I chuckled at Alex's words.

"What are you laughing about?" She asked.

"The people who survived the caves," I said. "The recruits. What's the one thing they would've left with?"

I pulled out Ezra's journal out of my bag opened the pages of where Alex needed to see the answer. I tossed the journal over to her so she would see the pages.

The pages showed her sketches of the Colosseum in Rome and of Camelot. Our next target sites for the great journey.

"There's the Roman Colosseum and the castle of Camelot on this," said Alex.

"Huh, and there's a colosseum and Camelot castle near Rome," said Bryan. "Which means we need to get a move on."

"It also means we need to find Rachel and the others too in Italy," I said. "And tell them that – holy shit! If ConDef was here, that means…"

"It means that there's a good chance they're likely to be in Rome as well," said Alex. Finishing my thought. "If we're gonna meat up with them and tell them what we found in Greece, we've gotta do it fast!"

I take a breath of silence for a second or two. Praying for the best Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and Kristen are okay and yet fearing for the worst that they're not.

I still had answers to get from Bryan. About how my family's lineage is attached to the secret society ran by the Prescott bloodline.

"Bryan, I have question to ask from that's important for me to know the answer to," I said to him.

"Ask away," he replied.

"How are the Caulfield's related to the Herd of Whales?"

* * *

 **World Gone Mad – Bastille**

Valor Team arrives safely back on the Oregon. Along with the Lynch and Scar Squadron, the Ambers and their party, and the other half of Valor Team who get off board from another chopper with Victoria's group.

Many civilian evacuation choppers make it back a safely as they all took a landing on the flight deck of the Oregon. David and his team hop out of their birds and take a breath of fresh air on the deck of the aircraft ship they land on. Glancing at the sunset after long mission's end that last for almost four hours.

Even with SF Spectre fallen, James Amber had risen to a safe place thanks to Valor Team and their bravery making it possible.

* * *

On the Oregon, David met up back with Joyce and the Caulfields at the sanctuary. Joyce hugged her husband for his safe return and David checked on Ryan and Vanessa again. Assuring the safety of the parents of Max Caulfield.

Ryan's leg was feeling better, but still needed to wear his cast around his foot for healing. He was at least able to move his foot around better than before.

Victoria and her friends were safely escorted to the sanctuary and given some bunk beds, shelter, and everything else the college kids needed to be made comfortable on the refugee deck.

Kristine went over to Hayden to check on his arm and give him a proper casting for his wound. As a medic of her team, Hayden was treated with the proper recovery kits and antibiotics to disinfect his wound.

Victoria made herself at home at her new refugee tent. With her boyfriend Freddy and her college friends Taylor, Courtney, Dana, Juliet, and Hayden.

* * *

James walked with his wife Rose down to the bridge and met with Admiral Penske and Captain Harvest in the CIC room. Still walking with crutch needed for his right hand.

The senator and wife shook hands with the Admiral and Captain of the crew. Honored to meet with one another and be relieved of their safety. Offering the two Chrysalis leaders intel about ConDef in return of the mission accomplished.

* * *

In the locker rooms of the crew deck, Cayce hit the showers and stepped out wash himself dry with a towel unclothed. Staring at a mirror as he did.

Cage was also at the locker room too. Sitting down on a porch and staring at a picture of his late family. Lost to the Arcadia storm four years earlier. Missing them as much as he missed his opportunity of retirement.

As long the team he led stood, it was the only thing close to family he'll ever have. Much as his closest second in command David Madsen.

* * *

In Cambridge, Massachusetts near Boston, Warren Graham and Brooke Scott made it to the MIT on the bus they rode to get there. With all the other college science students from Denver, Colorado who came with them.

Even with the states at risk of the war, Warren and Brooke were still hoping to pass their internship to be transferred to the MIT and continue their future there. The two gave each other a smile of confidence as they lined up for the tour around the institution.

* * *

In Caldwell, Idaho near Nampa and Boise, Kate Marsh sat on bench in a chapel close to her home. Dressed in her nun uniform and saying her prayers to God for the safety of her home and her family from the war beyond.

Allowing the lord her guidance to self-preservation. Hearing Kate's voice with a message from to lord herself.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. A quote from the Christian bible as her message of safety.

* * *

In Rome, Italy, Rachel and her companions Frank, Kristen, and Fernando get table as an Italian sit-down restaurant to have some Italian food on their mission to find site of the Reality Shard somewhere in the city. Although going to Europe was never Rachel and Frank's taste for vacation, it was a treat for them anyhow.

As the four of Max and Alex's companions were analyzing the clues the had found thus far, Rachel received to text message from her dad. She took her phone out to read it.

 **Dad: We made it out of San Fran.**

 **Dad: Your mom and I are safe on the Oregon**

 **Dad: Thanks to David and his team.**

No matter how much Rachel was still angry with her father, even though he was forgiven by her, she was relieved of the good news that her only parents were alive and had survived the ConDef attack in San Fran. A light smile on her face ensured that.

* * *

Back in Portland, Chloe had been packing a few things with her for any in all evacuation occurrences in the city. Since the city she and her roommate lived near was a Chrysalis stronghold as well. Where ConDef may strike the town the way Neo-Chrysalis had three years ago during the Triple 4 attack.

Chloe collapsed herself on her bed in the bedroom where she had been packing the essentials in her luggage bag. Taking a breather from packing and still waiting for more news from Max about the Vancouver job. Which Max had lied to her about for over a week now.

Unaware of Max's secretly unexpected journey, Chloe took her e-sig out for smoke. Taking a puff from it as her head laid against her pillow. Like she had smoking dope in the bedroom of her old home in Arcadia Bay.

* * *

Back in Greece, on Mount Olympus, Ares and his domesticated dragon stood on a cliffside shoring the Aegean Sea. Having acquired three Eternity Shards for his Eternity Gauntlet successfully.

Joanna and Alkaline with their ConDef lieutenant walked over to Ares and his dragon on the cliffside. Willing to report to him diplomatically about their situation in search of the Power Shard.

Ares turned to his two advocates and their lieutenant. Showing the two he had already assembled the Power Shard for himself along with the Mind and Soul shards. Three down. Three more to go.

The Eternity war was far from over. But today, Chrysalis will live to fight another day. And Max Caulfield will be the traveler to win this war once and for all.

Perhaps she will.

* * *

 **End of Episode 2!**

 **Note: And that concludes this episode of Eternity War! Hoping I would've gotten this posted in time for Easter/April Fools two day ago, I wish you all a Happy Easter and April Fools Day though I'm too late to say! I'm in college and have been busier in my life than I've ever been in. I'm sure you all understand if you're in college like me or have been or about to. It's been a good ride with this story so far and it's been hella fun writing this episode! As it has been hella challenging writing it all too!**

 **As promised before, I must shift gears back to The Lost Daughter with only the second episode half written. Even though I'm not as thrilled to write that story as much as this one, a writer's gotta do what a writer's gotta do. A writer's decision to be made final.**

 **I must announce to all you LIS fans unaware that we're finally getting comic series for the franchise for the extended universe we all deserve! At last, we may have answers to the plot holes left blank in the games of the series we've been given thus far!**

 **Will Max and Alex uncover the truth about their family's secret history? Will David and Cayce win the war with Chrysalis on the front line? Tune in next time for Episode 3: The Great Journey to find out!**

 **Until next, stay tuned and golden!**

 **Life Is Strange Eternity War**

 **Episode 2: Herd of Whales**

 **Voice Cast**

 **Max Caulfield… …Hannah Telle**

 **Alex Caulfield… …Fryda Wolff**

 **Chloe Price… …Ashly Burch**

 **Rachel Amber… …Erin Yvette**

 **David Madsen… …Don McManus**

 **Cayce Foley… …Christopher Emerson**

 **Joyce Price… …Cissy Jones**

 **Kristine Prescott… …Laura Bailey**

 **Frank Bowers… …Daniel Bonjour**

 **Fernando Rojas… …Freddy Prinze, Jr.**

 **Kristen West… …Kelley Crowder**

 **Ryan Caulfield… …Adam Harrington**

 **Vanessa Caulfield… …Misty Lee**

 **Bryan Caulfield… …Brandon Keener**

 **Victoria Chase… …Dani Knights**

 **Freddy Mayne… …Daniel Kendrick**

 **Cpt. Clayton Cage… …Chris Fries**

 **Lt. Jeb Mason… …Charles Parnell**

 **Sgt. Andrew Newblood… …Nick Boulton**

 **Sgt. Carlos Logos… …Alex Hernandez**

 **Lt. Maj. Cheryl Heard… …Cindy Robinson**

 **Lt. Amanda Lynch… …Emily O'Brien**

 **Pvt. Flint Wheeler… …Jeff Schine**

 **James Amber… …Patrick Finnerty**

 **Rose Amber… …Kelly Handcock**

 **Cpt. Adam Harvest… …Gideon Emery**

 **Elias Alkaline… …Simon Templeman**

 **Adm. Gavin Penske… …Ron Perlman**

 **Joanna Prescott… …Jennifer Hale**

 **Congressman Anders… …Brian Sommers**

 **King Arthur… …Robin Atkin Downes**

 **Ebert Roland… …Derek Phillips**

 **Lahkesis… …Christine Dunford**

 **Ares… …Neil Kaplan**

 **Written and Edited by**

 **WickDaLine**

 **Based on the Characters by**

 **Christian Divine**

 **Music by**

 **Henry Jackman**

 **Daughter**

 **Soundtrack**

 **Voices – Daughter**

 **Witches - Daughter**

 **Time of My Life – Pitbull & Neo**

 **World Gone Mad – Bastille**

 **Special Thanks**

 **DONTNOD**

 **Deck Nine**

 **Square Enix**

 **Christine Divine**

 **Hannah Telle**

 **Ashly Burch**

 **Michel Koch**

 **Luc Baghadoust**

 **Zak Gariss**

 **Daughter**

 **tur1823**

 **Xemtlenc**

 **Stargazing Writer**

 **and you!**

 **Disclaimer**

 **I do not own anything! This is a fan written work of fiction. All rights belong to DONTNOD, Deck Nine, and Square Enix. Thank you.**

Next time on Life Is Strange Eternity War…

Max races across the streets of Rome in her stolen ConDef jeep. Rachel races behind Max's jeep in her stolen bike. Chasing down the jeep holding Alex captive. As a turret gun on the jeep is about to unload on Max and Rachel.

David holds his gun steadily in the dark with his flashlight on. Scanning the dark chapel before. Ready for anything to jump at him. When he hears a noise, he immediately turns his gun and light in the direction he heard it. With his finger on the trigger.


End file.
